Tell Me A Sweet Lie
by frostlight
Summary: Cagalli Yula Athha is laying in the hospital with multiple stab wounds, her condition critical. It seems that the person who attacked her was none other than her own brother Kira Yamato. What were his motives? Why did he want to hurt the only family membe
1. Tell Me A Sweet Lie

Yay!I baaaaacccckkk baby! (HUGE grin ). Okay, enough of antics here, it's introduction time.

1.Tell Me A Sweet Lie is based on yaoi relationships BUT it includes much more than that, so I hope you guys out there would read it before determining whether you would like to continue. Just give a chance first, k? That's not too much to ask right? And if you don't like it, well then, I hope you find other better things then. I welcome everything little single comment, anythng at all, so please do review. I'm currently working on the second part so tell me what you think of this one!

2. Words in Italics are either thoughts of a person or somthing that had happenend in the past

So enough said, here we go with...

**Tell Me A Sweet Lie**

****

by : frost2light

_**Kira**_

" Number 78909! You have a visitor!" I dragged myself up from the cold cement floor that I was laying on and shuffled towards the opened cell door. 'Wouldn't every enemy of mine laugh at my stupidity.' My lips turned up into a sardonic smirk,' Kira Yamato, The Ultimate Coordinator…' My thoughts all ran away when I faced who had came, my visitor. We looked at each other, bruised violet eyes and healing emerald green ones. We stared and stared trying to find something in each other's eyes that would somehow explain why we were facing each other on the other side of the fence that separated the good and bad. I tried smiling, tried to say something but nothing sensible could come out. What could one say to one's enemy who is one's best friend and lover too? I looked away, afraid of what the green eyes which registered everything could see. I hated the way it judged me, hated the way as if he knew everything. I turned to walk away, away from the boy I've learnt to hate yet still love at the same time. I would never regret the things that I have done, I need not explain, actions spoke louder than words. I had tried to kill my own twin sister to be with the man I loved.

" _Kira! Kira!" A voice I've grown to detest cried my name out loud from a distance, I tried hard not to notice but still as always, she was insistent, Cagalli Yula Athha, my twin sister and my hated enemy. " Kira! Wait up!" I sighed in impatience and waited for her to catch up. " Guess what!" She was panting in excitement, her golden amber eyes glowing with delight as she held out her hand to show me the simple elegant silver ring that adorned her finger, her ring finger. I stared at her coldly, but not even the bitterness in my eyes did she notice in her joy. " Athrun proposed." I held back my intake of breath and smiled cordially and responded in only what a dutiful twin brother could do._

" _Really? Congratulations." I patted her shoulder but my hand itched to strangle her instead, I glared at her back and hated myself for feeling that way. I loved my twin sister, I really do, but now all I could think was how happy Athrun and she would be before the green monster reared it's ugly head again. I focused my eyes on the incoming tide and felt reckless. I wanted to dive right into the freezing waters and laugh maniacally, I wanted to proclaim my utter adoration for Athrun in front of my twin sister just to wipe that gloat of her face, I just wanted to…I just wanted to curl up and cry. I closed my eyes to prevent Cagalli noticing the tears that were prickling right behind the eyelids, the beautiful colours of the setting sun lost on me._

" Don't turn away." His voice floated through the intercom, robotic, metallic, unreal. I stopped in my steps, pondering my next move, I wanted to turn around, but what would I say? I'm sorry? Go away? " Don't go please." I turned at the note of desperation in his voice, surprised that he sounded the way he did. I walked back towards the chair that the guards had prepared and sat down, my eyes still not willing to look at the man I yearned to see. Silence enfolded the both of us, my right leg was jiggling non-stop, a nervous habit I had recently picked up from my stay in the cell.

" What happened after the arrest? Is she okay?" I asked finally, my voice dull and lifeless. Instead of answering, Athrun softly threw a question back at me.

" Are you okay in there?" It was a stupid needless question but I was elated, '_He still cared' _I thought to myself, a genuine smile forming slowly at my lips. But, my bubble of happiness was burst by his next question. " Why did you do it?" He had said it without any hatred or anger, yet he had asked why I had done it, he believed that I had done that atrocious act, that I had stabbed my twin sister so many times that her body resembled a lumpy bit of meat with holes. My head swiveled towards his and the blazing green eyes bore into mine.

" You know why I did it."

" You tell me how you did it."

" Why are you torturing yourself with this?"

" I need to know. "

" I love you." Three simple words that lay my heart bare for him to skewer, to pierce. I did not want to face him any longer, his rejection nor his pity and got up to walk away without looking backward; he did not call me back either.

_**Athrun**_

' Because I want to help.' I whispered under my breath, watching the receding back as Kira walked away from me into a place I could not follow. I got up from the seat that I was sitting on and walked out of the prison that housed my best friend. I squinted to readjust my vision in the bright sunlight , sunshine Kira no longer had the privilege to go under. He had grown thinner and more haggard, his skin sallow and pale. I did not know what to think of that whole incident: Cagalli was still in a coma and Kira was found guilty without trial and locked into a cell while Orb officials threw away the key. Dearkka Elsman and Yzak Jule, two friends, comrades from long ago had came to the hospital, all awkwardness and silences that had went on and on until I could not stand it no longer and chased them away with a 'I'm okay, you are busy, no need to stay' excuse that both of them gratefully accepted and went. I did not believe that Kira had used that knife to stab Cagalli, he was there with the knife but no recollections of what had happened, no memories of what had occurred except that he was there with his twin sister bleeding to death beside him. He had blood on his hands and his fingerprints were all over the knife but something in my heart, gut instinct told me that there was something else that was hidden from view but was actually the real cause.

" _I love you." _Kira's voice rang in my head, repeating itself over and over again. ' Maybe that was what it is, he did it for jealousy' A small voice muttered in my brain, pushing away the gut instinct that told me otherwise. I rubbed my temple with my thumb and forefinger trying to massage away the headache that was threatening to smother me and got into the car that was currently waiting for me, welcoming the coolness of the air conditioning.

_**Kira**_

" _What have you done!" I woke up with a thundering headache and a wet slickness on my hands. A metallic smell that was so familiar lingered in the air, while a voice kept screaming and screaming for a doctor or an ambulance. I tried to lift my hand to the woman who was standing nearby, hiding in the shadows, tried croaking for help too but the woman merely stared at me with cold unblinking eyes. The last thought that filled my consciousness was that the woman was blonde and though I could not see her face, she seemed remarkably like someone I knew, I squinted trying to place her when everything went black. _

" What would you gain by hiding behind your shell?" A male voice spoke up from the dark recesses of the cell I was in. I ignored the voice and tried to sleep but the memories haunted me, the blonde haired lady, Cagalli's corpse that looked so unreal and mutilated, Athrun's green eyes ablaze with disbelief, hatred and anger that day. " What are you hiding? Don't you want you freedom?" The voice insisted.

" It's none of your business!" I snapped, angry at my inability to sleep in peace and frustrated that I could not recall anything at all about the whole incident. "I tried to kill my own twin sister, why am I trying to deny it?" I muttered softly but not soft enough.

" Maybe it's because you have never done it? Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you are innocent?"

" Look mister, I don't know who you are or why you are here, but I'm guilty. I was found with blood on my hands, my sister's blood and a knife that had my fingerprints all over it. I had a motive, so why wouldn't the killer be me?" I near shouted the last sentence at the hidden man while I swallowed the next, ' _He_ believed my guilt.' Silence filled the dark cell again and the man spoke no more for the rest of the night.

_**Athrun**_

" Lacus! What are you doing here?" I looked up in surprise as I felt a hand touch my shoulder. It had been so long after we had parted ways after the war at Jachin Due, I had followed Cagalli and KIra back to Orb while Lacus Clyne went back to Zaft to patch things up the best that she could. It was a long and hard journey but after three years, there was some progress.

" I heard about Cagalli and had wanted to come sooner, but you know how things were." Lacus's eyes looked pained. " Are you okay?" She asked in concern, Athrun had once been her fiancée and she knew him quite well, he had something on his mind.

" Yes. I think I'm as good as someone who had just lost his best friend and his fiancée." Lacus noticed that he mentioned Kira first even though the latter was his bride to be.

" Did you really love Cagalli?" She asked, unwilling to beat around the bush, her grey eyes alert and piercing while the setting sun cast purple, yellow and red rays around them and the shadows grew long behind the two people who sat in the fading rays without saying anything at all.

_**Kira**_

Empty, lifeless, I stared listlessly at the wall, trying to figure out what had happened, everything had happened with a blur, so fast I could not grasp anything, it almost felt surreal and unreal. Suddenly I felt claustrophobic and paced the cell like a caged panther. I noticed the man that had talked to me last night, he had matted greasy long blonde hair that covered most of his face and hid most of his features, he was snoring noisily on the floor and did not wake up at all to my pacing. I wanted to shake him awake just for the spite of it, but turned away at the last minute, scornful of myself. I flopped back down unto the insect ridden mattress that was my bed and stared at the ceiling, imposing on myself the task of remembering but I could only recall the pain of that night, the alcoholic and smoky fumes of the bar that I was in and the drunken stagger back to the apartment where I used to live.

" _Kira!" I heard a familiar voice calling me somewhere and my eyes searched for the source, the surroundings around me swimming and swirling, taunting and goading me to catch them._

" _Cagalli…My favourite twin sister." I slurred, proud of myself that I got her name right, I staggered right into her arms and could feel her trying to prop me up. " What ..what are you doing…here?" I tried the second sentence, all the while spouting liquor fumes at her face and watched in amusement as she wrinkled her nose at it._

" _Why are you so drunk. Don't you have class tomorrow?" _

" _Why…are you here?" I repeated my question, cursing myself inwardly for asking questions that I knew would kill me if I knew the answers but a certain masochistic streak in me kept me from keeping my mouth shut.. We were in the apartment with me sprawled over the blue sofa that I had lovingly chosen in the hopes that Athrun would share it with me one day while she fetched a glass of water for me. Cagalli did not answer me immediately, instead she took her time in getting me the glass of water and was unusually quiet for someone who was about to get married soon._

" _Kira…" She started as she handed me the glass of water, I blinked my eyes furiously to focus, my woozy mind trying to figure which one of the six figures that was standing in front of me was my twin. I noticed in my drunken haze that all six figures had red – rimmed eyes that seemed as if they had been crying for the past few hours. I opened my mouth to query further but nothing came out, I continued gawking like a fish till I passed out on the sofa, on my journey to forbidden lands, my unconsciousness broken only once when the screaming started and the metallic tang in the air enveloped me like a lover's arms enclosed in a warm hug._

" Have you remembered anything?"

" No. Leave me alone."

" Suit yourself."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Athrun**_

" Sir, this came in with the other reports, the wounds on the Representative's body did indeed come from the knife that Kira Yamato was holding." The young soldier bearing the name tag of 'Tri' stood patiently in front of his superior and waited till he allowed him to retreat.

" Thank you, and the other findings on the fingerprints?" I asked without looking up, eyes glued on the stack of papers in front of me.

" The same as the previous lab results, it belongs to the same person."

" I see. There was nothing else on the scene?"

" Nothing suspicious ,sir."

" Thank you, you may go." I looked up when I heard the sliding whoosh of the closing door. I was surprised at myself of the intensity of my emotions when I had scanned the documents Tri brought me. I had actually hoped that there was something, anything that would somehow prove Kira was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the disappointment when I found nothing was very acute. I rubbed my temples and leaned back in my chair, looking out the window that was beside me to the beehive of activity outside. My office was placed strategically where I could see the whole floor in case I needed to monitor anything or anybody but right now, the sight just made me feel hopeless and useless. I had so much so called power and influence in Orb yet, not enough to prompt the other officials to get a trail for Kira.

" _What do you mean you want a trial? We found him with the Representative's blood on his hands and him admitting the whole murder without us forcing him to it, you were there too, remember?" Colonel Jonathan Anders, a plump man with a florid face glared at Athrun who could barely conceal his fury too._

" _How does locking him up in a cell and literally throwing away the key justifies matters? Yes I admit that you saw him with blood on his hands and all evidences that we have currently points to him as guilty but I have a feeling that all this is just what those people want!"_

" _Feeling? Were you born yesterday? We need evidence Athrun! Evidence! And who are 'those people' that you are pointing at? What motive do they have that they want to kill the Representative and frame Kira Yamato?" Colonel Anders shouted back at me who had nothing to say._

" _Now now Colonel, you have to understand that Athrun is just wanting the best for Kira. If he wants to continue the investigation, then we should let him." A timbre soothing voice spoke up and I looked at him gratefully. Colonel George Laws is a man who stood by his words, a firm believer of justice and equality, and a staunch supporter of the Lion of Orb, certainly if he said that Kira was indeed allowed to have a trial, then maybe some members of the council would listen._

" _Colonel Laws! What are you trying to do here?" Colonel Anders did not look angry, instead to me, he looked as if he was worried about something and extremely anxious._

" _Justice Jonathan, surely you would understand that concept."_

" _But I thought you…" A raised eyebrow from Colonel Laws effectively shut the bumbling Anders, his red face redder than ever. I noted that there were five members present during this meeting and recalled faintly that there used to be six, my mind whirring automatically to access the whole situation and came to a conclusion that General Roy Kilburn was missing. I remembered that there was a scandal involving him and a few others of a much lower level and he was thrown off the committee, his whereabouts unknown. My mind clicked back to the present and I was surprised at the hold that Colonel Laws had over everybody on the council, I knew that he was a powerful voice and that his opinions were valued but not to this extent, he was practically domineering this whole meeting as the only two people who had spoken were Colonel Laws and Colonel Anders and yet Colonel Anders with his brazen ways and hot temper was very evidently cowed by Colonel Law's cool and calm decisions, but I was not about to dwell long on something that had nothing to do with me, what I came to achieve I had, Kira would have an investigation and I would try to help my best friend._

" _Thank you Colonel Laws." I saluted him and turned away, walking briskly towards the door and reaching it before he called me._

" _Athrun, I hope you know the consequences if you went through the investigations." _

" _Sir?" I turned shocked, was he threatening me?_

" _Do not worry Athrun, I'm not trying to threaten you, merely trying to point out things that I think that you should know and realize before you do anything."_

" _What do you mean?" I narrowed my eyes, all senses on alert._

" _I'm certain that you have read Orb's rules, I know it's a lengthy subject and takes up quite a lot of time and energy, but I do think that you had finished it while you were trying to search for an opening to save Kira, am I right Athrun?" Seeing my nod of confirmation, he continued, his voice still calm and soothing as the beginning, " Then you do know that if in the period of time that you are given that you do not reveal anything about the case, you are not able to raise or broach that certain subject again, at least not from the direction that you have been pursuing it. Do you understand what I'm trying to say Athrun?"_

" _What you are trying to tell me is that in three months time, if I do not find any evidence to prove that Kira is innocent, the case is closed, am I right?"_

" _Well partially. You can bring this case up if somebody allows the case to be opened again but from a different point of view. For example, you are trying to prove that Kira is innocent, that he did not try to kill the Representative right? Well, in the future, you are not able to do that, you can only try to say that he did indeed hurt the Representative but in self defense as she was trying to attack him and so on so forth, if found innocent then the charge would be dropped but consequently if found guilty, then he not only have to face one sentence, he would have to face two." My face paled at the things that Colonel Laws was saying, I had read the rules and regulations but I had never realized that the implications that it had stated. I had naively thought that by opening an investigation, I would be saving KIra but now from this perceptive, I will only be signing his death warrant._

" _Do you still want to go on with it? If you do you have my blessings and I wish you the best of luck. All the resources that you need would be provided and the time line as you know is three months." I looked at the man who I had thought was my saviour, but now he was my nightmare. I looked at him and tried to discern what was going on in his brain but I got nothing, although his blue gaze was sincere, I felt that it was all pretense. _

" _I will do it." _

" _Then I hope you do find what you are looking for." With that the conversation ended and I saluted them once again and strode out the door and towards the privacy of my office, heart and brain racing._

" Kuso!" I cursed out loud, turning my attention back to the papers in front of me but the picture on my table caught my eye. It was a happy one, taken right after the war three years ago, Kira, Cagalli, Lacus, Dearkka, Captain Ramius, Miri and I. The five of is with the exception of Captain Ramius and Dearkka were hugging each other, our hands linking our hearts together while Dearkka and the captain stood to one side watching us through smiles. Though all of eyes had seen too much and nothing could ever recover those lost innocence, but there were smiles on all our faces, those smiles after the war after all that we had seen represented hope, hope that the future would be better for all of us. We did get our wishes, our dreams did seem to come true at that time, then the nightmare of feelings started. With the ongoing war, none of us had the time to think about relationships, the only feelings that we could have were comradeship and the need to protect what we believed, those were the main priorities. However with the war gone, all of us had to focus somewhere. It was known during the war that Cagalli and I were the closest, we seemed like a likely pair, a match made in heaven and I used to think that too, I still want to think that way. But, as cliché as it sounded, there was something missing. When she smiled, she lit up the surroundings with it but not my heart, when she cried, my heart had the ability to distance myself and her, it was unfair for her and I had tried to be better, I really did- butterfly kisses on the cheeks, soft feather like touches to her hair when she was lying beside me, everything from red roses to candlelight dinners but it did not make it better, she was happy I knew, I could see, yet it did not make me happy, it merely made me even more guilty. Finally I realized where the mistake was and even that was too late, I had proposed to Cagalli. When she had ran off to tell Kira, I was behind her, I looked on from a distance as she danced away with happiness and Kira's expression when she broke the news, my heart broke at that moment, only then had I realized that the smile that I wanted to see, the body I wanted to hold was her twin, my best friend, Kira. I loved him. In a world where homosexuals were still a stigma, it would be hard to break the news to Cagalli. Homosexuals. It was an ugly word, it sounded dirty somehow, but that was not what our feelings were, it was beautiful and very precious to me, we were just on the wrong side of the gender barrier and what people would classify as disgusting. How can one judge? What is right and what is wrong? As much as we like to believe, the world isn't all black and white, most of the places were grey and covered in shadow, which only the brave dared to venture and I was a coward.

" _Athrun, we need to talk." I looked up from the documents that I had been studying at Cagalli's voice as she stood in the doorway of my office in my apartment. I had voted out of the schooling system and had joined the Orb administration as her aide while Kira, Sai and Miri had went back to university to complete what they had started. Lacus had flown back to Zaft with Dearkka in tow after fond farewells instead of Kira, as the relationship between Lacus and KIra had not worked out, both of them knew in their hearts that it was meant to be that way and had parted off cordially, still friends._

" _Is something wrong?" I asked, uncomfortable at the expression on her face. _

" _Do you love me, Athrun" I could hear my breathing quicken and I tried to calm the feelings that threatened to overwhelm me. Part of me jumped at the chance to tell her the truth while the other half cowered in fear and wanted to run away and hide, deny everything so that peace could be maintained. Cagalli noticed the silence and crumbled, tears started streaming down her face as she turned away from me. She understood my silence._

" _Cagalli…" I got up from my desk and chased after her before pulling her around to face me. I wanted to apologize but swallowed my words when I realized that it would be futile. _

" _I understand." Her smile wobbly." It's not my fault it's yours. You love my brother don't you?" She looked up earnestly, hope evident in her eyes that I would deny everything before hugging her and telling her it was all not true._

" _Cagalli. I'm sorry." I looked away, away from her eyes that wanted things I could not give. _

" _Then I don't need this then." She spoke, her voice sad, resigned, old before leaving through the front door._

An electronic beep from the computer facing me brought me back into the present and away from the memories that I longed to erase. I heaved a deep sigh before returning to the work before-hand my hands massaging the back of my neck, I knew there would be a long night ahead.

" You nearly blew our cover, you dimwit!"

" But that was not in the plan, you said that you would not allow the trial!" General Anders tried to point out the truth in hopes that that would placate General Laws' cold fury and not surprisingly his sentence seemed to infuriate the other man more.

" You stupid man, could you not see that if we did not do what that boy wants, more could come up? Do you want to see what we have worked for so long and hard to go down the drain because of your stupidity!" fumed the general.

" No, I did not mean it that way, but I did not see how if Athrun Zala poked his nose in that case that our cover will not be blown!" General Anders paced General Laws quarters, discomfort and uneasiness written on his face.

"What would he find out? Fingerprints that would match the Representative's? Or maybe a strand of hair that has her DNA? If he does find it, what could he say? The Representative was involved in a struggle before she went down, of course her fingerprints and hair was there. My experiment was a success, I made sure that the results were perfect, with no margin of error unlike someone.." He left the sentence unfinished as he looked pointedly in General Anders direction making him flinch.

" How would I have known that the Representative…." His explanation and excuses were waved off by General Laws hands.

" I'm quite happy at the turn of events actually, with this we could kill two birds with one stone." General Laws whom was looking at General Anders, noted the confusion and sighed loudly before carrying on the explanation with a patronizing tone as if speaking to a small kid with a very low intelligence level." When the Representative went to her brother's house, an argument seemingly happened and her brother who was quite drunk at the moment stabbed his sister in the height of anger and now that he is currently residing in a high security cell, the position for the Representative is open."

" But that did not happen! We sent _her _to do that!"

" You are so stupid it's a miracle you are sitting in this position, General." General Laws said scathingly, distaste evident in his eyes." Forget it Anders, just do what I tell you and leave all the thinking to me, now please get out and do whatever you have to do to keep up the appearance of your title. You get on my nerves."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Kira**_

" Boy, why are you here?" The man sharing the same cell as Kira spoke again." Why are you not trying harder to get yourself out of this place?"

" Why don't you leave me alone?" I barked, my hand clenching into a fist while I laid on my side on the hard mattress and facing the wall.

" Because I know that you did not do what you did. General Laws and Anders sent you here without a trial right?"

" Who the hell are they?"

" You haven't heard of them? Who are you?"

" I'm just a student from university."

" Student? What the hell are you doing here in maximum security? What crime did you commit? I know you said you killed your sister but that is not a crime that would send you here." I flinched when he said that, the terror of spending my whole life in this dark cell without Athrun and the feeling of helplessness filled me.

" I tried to kill Cagalli Yula Athha." My voice was flat, masking the feelings that were boiling in me, I did not want to show this stranger that I was afraid, I did not know why I felt that way, but dignity kept me from bubbling everything out and crying like a child.

" You did what!"

" I tried to kill my own sister who happens to be the Representative of this country. I stabbed her over and over again with a kitchen knife until she bled out like a pig, I tried to kill Cagalli Yula Attha! Are you satisfied now?" I screamed at him, my patience and control past the limit. He chuckled at my display of hatred and anger prompting me to stride over towards him, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him onto his feet. " How could you laugh?" I was so close to him I could smell his breath.

" You were duped boy." He chuckled some more before breaking into maniacal laughter, sending shivers down my back.

" What do you mean? What are you trying to say?" I slammed him against the wall in frustration when he refused to answer.

" Let me go." His voice was cold, and I looked at him properly for the first time we had been in the same cell. His features once belonged to a handsome man, a man with prestige, but now, they were changed and aged with the time he had spent in prison. " Let me go." He repeated again, his eyes promised violence if I did not comply.

" Who are you?" This time it was me who asked that question.

" Does it matter? You cannot help me." He replied simply and continued to look at me with that deep bottomless eyes, I shivered involuntarily and hated myself for that feeling of weakness.

" Do I scare you? You should be scared little boy." He smirked before continuing, " I'm here for reasons that would give you nightmares if you ever knew about it."

" Tell me." Kira blurted out before he could stop himself, the names of the Generals the man spoke before sounded familiar and the information that he knew something about Cagalli intrigued him.

" You tell me your story and I shall think about telling you what I know." He smirked, knowing that he had the upper hand in this conversation.

" I loved the same man as my sister." I looked at him to gauge his reaction towards that sentence but nothing showed on his expressionless face. " I was drunk that night she came to see me, I had been drinking quite a lot, I thought maybe that by drinking I could erase off the pain, it was a stupid move, a futile one too but I could not help myself." I smiled sadly at that memory before continuing in a more serious note of that night's events "I remember that she had been crying, her eyes were red, I think that she was trying to tell me something but I passed out soon after without listening to what she was trying to tell me and the rest was history. I woke up with a woman screaming and next I was thrown into this cell."

" Was that all? Did you notice anybody around?"

" There were lots of people who came, medics, people who lived in my block, everybody was there to watch. I remembered there was another woman who was standing quite near, a blonde haired woman, whom I tried to ask for help. She reminded me of somebody I knew even if I was not able to look at her face at all."

" Blonde haired woman huh. How did you know she was blonde? I thought you said that she was hidden in the shadows?"

" I don't know. I just knew." Startled at his question and realizing that he was right set my mind in motion, I had recognized her even though she was hidden away in the dark.' How had I known?' My mind puzzling over the matters.' Who was she? Did she hold a clue somewhere in the mystery?"

" Is that it?"

" Yes, now it's your turn to tell me what happened and who are you?" I looked at him as he smiled, a sad man, an old man, a beaten man.

" My name is Roy Kilburn. I used to be a trusted man on the committee of six : Lisa Kurt, Yumiko Tara, Halu Fu,Jonathan Anders and George Laws." He spat out the last two names in contempt. " All of us were loyal followers of the Lion of Orb, we respected and obeyed his ideals or so I thought." He paused trying to get his emotions into check. " Little did I know that Jonathan and George were planning the upheaval of the current Representative, they were conducting private meetings without my knowledge with the other committee members whom George Laws had blackmailed into following his orders, his right hand man, Jonathan Anders is a stupid fellow who has only his pleasure in mind. They had plotted my downfall long before I knew what was coming, they conducted illegal cloning experiments and by the looks of it they succeeded in where others had failed."

" What do you mean?" I asked, something was amiss in this whole conversation. " Who were they planning to clone?"

" Your sister." I heard myself take a sharp intake of breath, shocked at the sudden revelation.

" I don't understand. Why would they want to clone my sister?" Suddenly realization dawned, I looked at Roy who nodded.

" Yes, they wanted a puppet that they could control. The people in this nation respected the cub of the Lion of Orb, they love her in fact. She is a good leader even if she is brash, aggressive and naïve at times." Roy's voice softened at the mention of Cagalli, he evidently knew and loved her. " Why did you think that you hurt her?" I looked away at his question, hating his piercing eyes while silence descended into the cell..

" I woke up with her body beside me, the knife in my hands and her blood all over me, my clothes, hands, everywhere." I remembered the slickness of the blood and the metallic stench that came with it and gagged at the memory.

" You probably was set up. I have a hunch that it was the mysterious blonde woman you saw who did the stabbing and planted the incriminating evidence that pointed to you. I'm also betting that the woman is Cagalli's clone, as to not raise suspicion when they find another pair of fingerprints on the weapon. They probably would conclude that you and her were battling over the knife and would not give it a second thought."

" You mean they planned all that in advance? How in the world did they know that Cagalli was coming over and that I would be drunk?"

"I think they had both of you on surveillance, but, you are right I think they had something else planned but when they saw this as a better opportunity, they used it to accomplish their goal."

" I don't understand, how could it be a better chance?"

" Think about it Kira, when Cagalli's gone, who would they turn to pick up the chain of command? Her brother who happens to be one of the war heroes or some unknown person?"

" But you just told me that there were six others including you who were loyal to the Lion of Orb and all of you are not unknown and what's more I'm not interested in being the Representative!"

" It's not that simple Kira." Roy said sadly, hating every moment of this conversation. " Politics is a black world where at times many innocents are sacrificed for some person's purpose, look what happened in the past war. You say that you are not interested in power but who would believe you? Certainly not General Laws and General Anders. No matter what you say about not wanting the position of Representative and handing it to them in a silver platter they would still view you as an obstacle which they have to eliminate. Even if they could not kill you, they have to discredit you, so much that the next time you cry foul, no one would listen to you." Roy paused and looked at me in sympathy," The reason why you are here and Cagalli is in the hospital has nothing to do about your love life, it has nothing to do with the jealousy you felt or fate but it has everything to do about politics." I looked at him speechless, horrified at what I had found out.

" It's not fair." I whispered. " All I wanted was a normal life."

" I know, but now that you realize what's going on, what are you going to do about it?"

" Tell Athrun."

" Is he the one that Cagalli loves?"

" Yes." A sad confirmation.

" You love him too."

" Yes." A nod.

" Who does he love?"

" Cagalli. He proposed to her."

" Oh. I see." With that the conversation between two unlucky men concluded.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….

_**Athrun**_

" Good morning sir." A matronly woman greeted me at the entrance of the hospital that I was currently entering. " You look like hell."

" Good morning, Lisa." I smiled tiredly back at the woman. She was an old acquaintance that I had known since young and I knew that what she commented about my appearance was true, black eye circles surrounded my eyes and I was sporting crumpled slept in clothes.

" You are here to visit Cagalli again?"

" Yes." I nodded before giving her a silent wave and walking towards room 28, my feet dragging. I dreaded going into that room where Cagalli was, where the medicine smell was overpowering and the electronic beeps that monitored her progress frightening. I stopped in front of the door and tried to think of something to do to avoid going in but my mind came up with a blank. I felt horrible and racked with guilt that I felt that way, it was my fault that she was lying there and Kira in jail and wondered at that precise moment, was it worth going on at all. I hoped so much for us to return to where all of us were, but I knew that it was impossible. I took in a deep breath and that was when the alarms started ringing and everything was thrown into chaos. I paused in my steps, all senses on alert when a whole barrage of nurses and doctors came rushing towards me. I was roughly shoved aside in order for them to enter Cagalli's room. I looked on in shock as the doctors barked out urgent commands that the nurses quickly and obediently abided, needles appeared, solutions of all type of colours being channeled into her without pause while the machines hooked up to her were beeping erratically, the lines zigzagging on the screen like crazy. I stood there unable to move, watching everything that was taking place, praying to a god that I hoped existed to save the woman that was supposed to be my bride.

" No, 200cc is not enough, we need a heavier dose!"

" She's fading, doctor!"

" What's her pulse?"

Catches of medical jargon passed my ears, while the minutes that passed by seemed like an eternity to me as I watched helplessly by the sidelines at the hospital staff who worked in a furious pace to save Cagalli. Finally when all was done to make sure her pattern on the monitors steadied and calmed, the doctors gave each other pats on the backs and sighed with obvious relief. I understood their feelings as I knew their jobs were on the line here if they could not save the Representative. A doctor passed by with a haggard and tired face, I glanced at his name tag and stopped him. " Doctor Jacob? How is she?"

" Her condition's very erratic, we've done what we could for her, If she could survive tonight, then she would be on her way to steady recovery. Everything depends on her will to live now."

" Thank you, doctor." I said to him in gratitude and he nodded in return. I watched him walk away from me before going into the now peaceful ward where Cagalli laid with shaky legs. I looked at the steady rising and falling of her chest and felt oddly comforted by that, even though I knew that she was currently supported by the machines that were placed all around her. She looked like a broken doll, pale and lifeless with no resemblance of the girl I had known from before. " I'm so sorry." I whispered, my voice hoarse and pained. " I'm so sorry." I knew then I had to forsake my own happiness and betray the one that I loved, I had to make up to her what I had done wrong. " Please live and be my bride." I whispered, holding her hand and slipping on the ring that she had left behind on that fateful day when she had confronted me and Kira. 'I'm sorry Kira, and I hope that you would understand.' I thought silently in my heart and continued my vigil over Cagalli.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Kira**_

I was fiddling with the brown prison uniform I had on when the door to the cell opened and a soldier walked in with a swagger. I hated him on sight and judging by the sneer on his face, his feelings for me were the same.

" Number 78909! You have a visitor." His gravelly voice grated on my nerves as I got up from the pathetic excuse they called the bed and walked out of the cell. I hated the way I was only a number to them, no name, no family, Kira Yamato the person who should have been did not exist and instead a number who represented nothing but my guilt was proof that I still was here.

" I will tell him. He will help me." I said it to no one in particular if only to convince myself that there was help in the form of a boy I knew since young. Roy who had heard gave a nod as a silent gesture of good luck which I acknowledged with a slight smile in his direction before walking away to find a new path for my fate. I kept repeating the mantra in my head to give myself confidence and to convince myself that he would help but I knew deep down inside that somehow something would go wrong.

" Kira." My name rolled off his tongue bringing back the person that had disappeared when he saw me.

" Athrun." I said simply, drinking in his appearance hungrily, trying to save myself from insanity by him being there.

" How are you?" He asked, concern etched all over his face. I wanted to believe that he really cared but the hurt that I had felt not too long ago when he had asked that exact question was still fresh from my mind. He believed that I had try to kill Cagalli , I could not place the blame fully on him as I knew that I had not done much to prove myself innocent but now that I had proof, I could tell him the facts and hoped that he trust me enough to help me.

" I have proof that I was not the one who stabbed Cagalli." I said, amazed at the flippant tone when I felt the total opposite inside.

" Really?" Something gleamed in his eyes, but I could not tell what it was.

" Roy Kilburn. Have you ever heard of him before?"

" Yes. What does this have to do with anything?"

" He is the proof that I mentioned, he told me…"

" I can't help you Kira." He cut me off before I could explain further, with that the small flame of hope blew out in my heart.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

_**Athrun**_

I looked on in private agony as the hope faded from his eyes. I longed to take back the words that I had uttered but I knew that this was for the best. Selfish as I was, I knew that him being in prison would simplify everything, I did not need to face the dilemma of who to choose in the future and I could follow through the lies to Cagalli that I had made my choice blatantly clear. I cleared my throat and started to say something, I saw him look up with hollow eyes at the sound and I felt my resolve crumbling but before I could say anything he got up zombie – like and spoke softly, so softly that I thought I had heard him wrongly.

" Tell me a sweet lie." I looked in confusion at him and he repeated it the second time, desperation lacing his voice. " Please, tell me a sweet lie." I looked at him in despair, tears brimming in both our eyes. He understood the decision that I was making.

" I love you." I could feel my heart breaking into a million pieces and I had wished then that time could fly back to the beginning where I had met Kira, to the sakura trees where we had parted, to the easy friendship and trust, to the chance I had to tell him what I really felt before this mess happened." I love you." I whispered through the glass and he smiled at my effort.

" Thank you." With that he walked away without a second glance back, and instinctively I knew that it would be our last meeting.

" Kira…I'm sorry." I whispered under my breath, my fingers touching the thick glass between us as I watched his retreating form blending in with the darkness. Tears that did not come before came now with a vengeance and I broke down there in the prison, sobbing like a lost child.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Kira**_

" Did he believe you?" Roy Kilburn asked once I walked into the cell.

" He's made up his choice."

" He won't help?"

" He's going to help my sister."

" What are you going to do about it?"

" Nothing."

" You can accept this decision?"

" Yes."

" You really do love him, don't you?" A statement, not a question and I heard a note of pity in Roy's voice, I nodded in sad agreement at that and sat back in defeat onto the hard mattress. "_I love you." _ I smiled sadly at the memory, tears blurring my vision, "I love you too." I whispered to no one in particular while the tears dripped desolately down, I did not care about dignity or pride. I cried for the lost future, the lost past and the hopeless present. Tears that I had held back with the hope that I would be saved now rolled down unhindered, painting rivers of sorrow on the pale canvass that was my face.


	2. Stand By Me

**I do not own Gundam Seed.**

1. Words that are expressed in Italics are either thoughts of a person or flashbacks.

2. Thank you to those who have reviewed, you really made my day with the encouragement.( HUGE smile )

3. This is the second part of this fiction and I plan to have at least one if not two more to finish up with the particular fiction, so please have faith in me, ne?

4. Anything that you are curious about or confused, please ask and I will try to rectify it in the next installation of this fiction. Names that are spelt wrong is entirely my fault and (sheepishly grins) do please overlook it.(smile)

So ladies and gentlemen, I present to you :

**Stand By Me**

by : forst2light

_**Athrun**_

A warm breeze ruffled my hair as I walked down the well trodden path towards the small house that I had bought just recently. There were birds twittering happily in the trees and the sun was out after a week of rain and cold weather, it was a truly beautiful day but my heart was not in it. It had been three years since that fateful incident that involved Kira Yamato and my then fiancée now wife Cagalli Yula Attha, and as I walked down that path that would lead me to her, I could not help wondering what would have been if I had not made that certain choice.

" _Athrun?" A weak voice whispered my name._

" _Cagall!" My head shot up promptly, the exhaustion that I felt then flew out the window immediately._

" _Where am I? Why are you here? I thought.." Tears welled up as she recalled the last talk that we had._

" _I'm so sorry Cagalli, please forgive me, it really isn't what you think, I choose you!"_

" _You choose me?" _

" _Yes."_

" _I don't need your pity Athrun. I don't need you to choose me. I need you to love me. Do you love me?" I was holding her hand and her grip tightened considerably as she waited for my answer and I hesitated no more._

" _Yes." _

" _Say it."_

" _I love you Cagalli, will you marry me?" This time it was tears of happiness that brimmed in her eyes and she nodded, her eyes closing in exhaustion. Tears were forming in mine too but for totally different reasons. 'I'm sorry Kira' My mind whispered sadly._

" _Where's Kira?" She whispered, her voice slurred. " There's something important that I need to tell you but I can't remember what it is.."_

" _Shh..sleep now, I'll still be here later, you can tell me later." I murmured softly into her ear, all the while stroking her blonde hair softly until her breathing deepened and she fell asleep once again._

" Athrun!" I heard someone cry out my name and with senses on full alert, I scanned my surroundings as I was trained to in the past before relaxing considerably when I recognized the woman I supposedly love.

" Cagalli." I waved back at the waving figure in the distance and berated myself inwardly for being so caught up in the past that I had not realized that I had indeed reached the small cottage that was situated by the lake, our small sanctuary from all the hype that surrounded us. Cagalli motioned for me to go to her side and I obediently obliged, her wounds were healing properly and a live in nurse I had hired took care of her needs .

" Come Athrun, come and see this!" She whispered to me urgently, doing her best not to startle what she was pointing excitedly at. I squinted from the sunlight and lifted my hand to shade my eyes to get a better view and found myself looking at a swan and her brood of cygnets. I sighed, resigned, and forced myself to plaster a smile on my face before turning to face her. I knew what she expected me to do at this moment, this beautiful moment when the day was clear and free, she wanted me bundle her up in my arms and kiss her passionately, swearing to her what I had swore at the altar not too long ago. But, the mere thought of that made me cringe inwardly. I had been giving excuses after lame excuses to refuse bodily contact with her and I knew that she was getting impatient and the trust that she had so freely given in the beginning was diminishing day by day. I continued smiling at her as I slipped my fingers into hers to hold, both of us lapsing into silence that was so familiar now that it almost felt comfortable.

_**Cagalli**_

I felt Athrun's fingers slip through mine and I tried to blink back the tears of disappointment and hurt. Three years ago, this movement would have made me deliriously happy, but now, it just made me feel sad. I looked out from the corner of my eye towards his profile which had not changed much since I first saw him. Slim and slightly taller than before, he was the boy I had pointed a gun at, stripped in front of, cried tears of anger, hurt and happiness before and most importantly fell in love with. But, now, everything had changed, he is still Athrun Zala the man I love but I Cagalli Yula Attha, is no longer the woman he loves or if that he even loved me at all. I wished that I could turn back the time to find out where and what had went wrong, to try to avoid it or even to correct it, but deep down I knew that no matter what I try to do, the unraveling of the future for the both of us would still be unavoidable. I glanced back at his profile, taking in hungrily everything that I could memorize and remember forever, his longish blue hair which curled slightly at his collar, his emerald green eyes which was forever shuttered and closed off from me and all the good times we had when we were still naïve and young. He turned towards me with a quizzical look in his eyes but I just smiled sweetly at him and pretended nothing was wrong, it was a mask I had three years to practice and perfect. My eyes roamed over his slim frame before turning away and settling on the picturesque surroundings. I had thought that he had bought this property out of love for me, but I knew now that my thoughts were naïve and wrong. He loved me, but it was not in the way I had wanted, but if I could just hold on for awhile, maybe he would have a change of heart.

_Who are you kidding?_

_Shut up._

_He loves your twin, not you._

_I said shut up!_

_Don't do it Cagalli, you will destroy the both of them. You have to tell him the truth. The truth that you have been hiding these three years …_

_Shut up._

" Cagalli? Are you okay?"

" Why are you here Athrun?" I asked sadly under my breath before turning away and walking back to the cottage that had been the home for me for three years leaving him Athrun, my husband behind.

_**Athrun**_

" Sir! This came in early this morning." It was Monday morning, the next day after a night spent with Cagalli in the cottage.

" What is it?"

" I'm not sure sir, but it seems important."

I barely looked up from the computer screen and said to Tri " Leave it on the table. Thank you." Tri did what he was told and left the room soon after that. The morning passed by with me buried till the head with all the paperwork that Cagalli had no time to look through and it was not until after four hours did I lift up my head to glance at the white envelope addressed to me written neatly in a handwriting that I was very familiar with.

" Kuso." I cursed out loud before tearing open the envelope frantically, my eyes scanning the letter in haste.

_Dear Athrun,_

_How are you? I hope you are doing well. It's been three years I think. Time seems to be hard to keep track of in here. I'll be free soon, and I will find the person who did this to me. I will not bother you with any details and I hope that you would wish me luck. I do understand what you have done in the past, and I have been patient. Three years is the time limit that I have. I hate this place Athrun, and I will never ever forget it. I do not blame you for me being in here but I will never forget what your decision is. _

_Kira_

" Kuso!" I cursed once again, my head buried in my hands, memories of the not so long ago replaying itself with amazing clarity in my head.

" _Let me get this straight, you do not want to pursue the charges anymore? What happened to change your mind? I had thought that you were quite adamant at finding the evidence?"_

" _General Laws, I know that my decision in the past was a rash and stupid thing to do, I have thought about it properly and come to a conclusion that I would not like to undergo the hassle and the time consuming process to prove what is so evident to everyone except me, that Kira Yamato is guilty of everything that has been charged to him."_

" _I see. What prompted the change?" This time it was General Anders who spoke up, and by the look on his face he was enjoying every moment of this. My hands which were hidden from view under the table bunched into fists and I had trouble keeping my voice and facial expression calm._

" _What prompted me to change my mind is not the main matter now. The main matter is that I refuse to continue with that mindless chase." _

_General Laws turned his head towards General Anders and said " Come on General Anders, do not give the boy such a hard time. You have to know that he was quite close with the killer." He paused a moment to look at me before continuing, " You do understand what you are saying, I hope you have really thought this through. The mistake of making the wrong decision would haunt you for the rest of your life and the council do not appreciate any repetition of what had happened just now. The council have not the time to play with frivolous whims. So is this your last decision?" _

_I took a deep breath and uttered the word that I know I would regret for the rest of my life, " Yes."_

Back in the present, I looked at the letter that was clenched tightly in my hand and wondered what Kira was planning, my thoughts jumbling and pouring each other, weighing each and every options that I had, it was a habit that had been ingrained so deeply in the past that it was only natural for me to do so. In the end, I grabbed the jacket that I had kept forgetting to bring home and stuffed the letter into one of it's pockets before rushing out the door.

_**Kira**_

" You ready son?" Roy Kilburn's face was grim but there was a barely restrained excitement that lurked beneath the grimness and I understood what he was feeling. It had been three years in this desolate place, and it was time to get out. The first year had not been easy, the prison was famed for it's torture and harsh treatment towards it's prisoners and it had not helped when news broke that I had tried to kill the Representative out of love for her current husband. It was one thing to be a murderer, but a gay one as well, it was intoleratable. The beatings and the taunts had came almost at once and many a time I found myself bruised everywhere with a broken bone or two. Roy had always been there to help but what can a man do when the person he was trying to protect had no will to fight? The second year passed with me gaining strength and with help from Roy, I began to pick myself up from the hole that I had dug and buried myself willingly into. I began to win fights and soon after that, no one dared to come near anymore. The planning started in the second year and after days and months spent observing and gathering information, it was time to act.

" Yes, I'm ready." And it was action time. I laid myself in position on the floor and began to twitch and convulse violently on the cold cement floor, acting out the simplest ruse in the book.

" Guards! Something's wrong with him!" Roy shouted, desperation and the right amount of worry a lethal mixture that brought the guards running.

" What happened?" One of them shouted, suspicion etched all over his face, evidently this was not the first time it had happened.

" He ate that and just fell. Please you have to help!" Roy was clutching desperately at the soldiers uniform bringing him closer for the view of me. My acting must been quite realistic as the guards, all three of them fell for it.

" Stand back!" One of them commanded before entering the correct code to release the lock to the prison cell and all three trooped in. Two of them crouched beside me to try to control me and the third kept a watchful eye on Roy while trying to talk into the walkie he had with him to alert the doctor and to send for backup in case something happened. But before the soldier could do anything, Roy had pounced on him while I leapt up from the floor, miraculously cured and attacked the remaining two guards. All three of them were caught off guard and everything progressed as planned with the whoops and cheers of the other cell mates. Both of us stripped two guards of their uniforms and weapons before securing them with the restrainers that they had on them.

" Hey, let us out too!"

" Way to go!"

" Bastards! Let us out too!"

" Don't be selfish!"

We walked briskly down the hall with caps pulled down low over our faces and ignored the taunts and pleads of the other prisoners. Both of us knew that the commotion in the cells we had left behind would alert the other guards that there was something wrong. Time was the essence and I understood all too clearly that we had to hurry. Both of us rushed down the corridors trying to pace ourselves in order not to attract any unwanted attention, we understood the risk that everything could go wrong if anyone of us made a careless mistake. In time, we reached the garage where all the vehicles were kept and Roy Kilburn hotwired one of the jeeps. Both of us looked at each other in unrestrained glee and set into motion the plan that we had spent so long to perfect. It was time for our revenge.

_**Athrun**_

" How could this have happened?"

" I do not know sir!"

" Where were the guards who handled this?" I looked in exasperation at the snivelling young man in front of me. I stared in distaste at his acne prone face and tried to control my anger and impatience at their incompetence.

" They are outside sir! Shall I get them for you?" The guard could barely hide his relief as I nodded for him to do so and he rushed out in a whirlwind of bad body odour. I drummed my fingers impatiently on the table in front of me while waiting for the three useless guards to enter the room. I did not know why I was in such a foul mood but I knew that I had to get to the bottom of this.

_Oh but you do know why you are in a temper._

_What do you mean?_

_You can't face him and watch him turn away from you as you did before to him. You are feeling guilty and ashamed. You would have preferred it if he stayed in here forever._

_You are wrong._

_How can I be wrong? I'm you. I know all your deepest thoughts and fears._

_Shut up!_

_I won't till you correct what you have done wrong. You love him for goodness sake. How could you have gone down such a wrong path?_

_I have done it and I cannot turn back._

_You can. Find out the truth. It has been buried too long._

_I know what to do. Shut up._

" Sir!" Three quavering voices brought me back to attention and I looked up in annoyance at the three useless guards who had let Kira get away.

I glared at them and watched in satisfaction when they seem to shrivel and shrink in face as they tried to cower away. " How did he get away?"

" Kira Yamato had help from another prison cellmate!"

" Roy Kilburn sir!"

" He pretended to have food poisoning and we had to.."

" Sir it was not out fault, he tricked us!" I listened to them babble incoherently with fear but the only thing that had registered was the name. Roy Kilburn. Kira had mentioned that name once upon a time when he had asked for my help and I had turned him down. I remembered all too clearly the content of the letter that had came this morning and in a perverse way I was relieved that finally all the hidden secrets and lies would be soon out in the light. I knew one day I had to face the music and after three years of hiding and selfishness, it was that time exactly.

* * *

Back in the Orb administration building, 

" General Laws, General Anders would like to see you."

" Tell him I'm busy." Came the gruff reply from General Laws to his secretary as he continued with his work.

" Sir Sir!" General Laws looked up in annoyance when he heard the frantic calling of his secretary as his automatic door swished open to reveal an angry General Anders.

" General Laws, there is bad news."

" Can't this wait?"

" No."

General Laws looked in exasperation at the man in front of him and waved his secretary off before saying to General Anders, " This had better be good."

" Kira Yamato and Roy Kilburn have escaped."

General Anders looked in satisfaction at the surprise and shock that was clearly etched on General Laws face when he spluttered out an undignified " What!"

" They escaped this morning from prison."

Minutes passed as General Laws absorbed the information and calmed his emotions while General Anders looked on. Gone was the flustered old man and in place was a cool mask of indifference and when he opened his mouth once again to speak, it was controlled with no emotion whatsoever. As much as General Anders hated to admit, General Laws scared him.

" Has anything been found? Does Athrun Zala and the Representative know?"

" Athrun Zala is already there questioning the guards, it seems that he received a letter penned by Kira Yamato this morning and had rushed out right after."

" Kira Yamato sent a letter to AThrun Zala? Was anything of importance written in it?"

" We are not sure. He took it with him."

" Send someone to the prison. No better still, we'll go and supervise the whole process of this questioning. We can't let anything else go wrong." General Laws got up from his chair and straightened his clothing that were slightly rumpled. He pressed a button on his phone that connected him to his secretary, Trisha and ordered her to arrange for his and General Anders departure to the Hoxworth Prison, his eyes gleaming all the while. He smiled at General Anders who visibly cringed at his expression and said before walking out the door " It's time for the hunt Anders."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

" Sir, General Anders and General Laws are here." Tri whispered to me and I nodded in acknowledgement. Their personal visit came to me as a surprise and I wondered why had they taken the time out of their busy schedule to do so. But before I could contemplate further, their larger than life presence filled the room.

" Athrun Zala, what a surprise!" Came General Laws bass while General Anders barely looked in my direction. " What are you doing here?"

" I came after I received a letter."

" By Kira Yamato I presume?"

" Yes." I looked at General Laws looking at me, I knew what that crafty old man was thinking and I refused to voluntarily give it to him. His eyes looked pointedly at me before realisation dawned in his eyes and it hardened perceptibly.

" Come now, Athrun, where is that letter? It is evidence."

" I left it back in my quarters back in the Orb administration building." The lie came effortlessly and my expression was one of pure innocence but a hunch told me that the General was not falling for it.

" Are you sure Athrun Zala? It would be a shame to ask others to frisk someone of your stature." A low undertone of threat was woven into this sentence but I refused to back down.

" I'm sure, I did leave it in the Orb headquarters." A pregnant pause followed and this time even General Anders was looking on and I detected a faint look of awe in his eyes. I stared back at General Laws and could see his brain whizzing away pondering what his next step would be. My whole body was tensed and ready for any action that came but the General surprised me by backing down.

" Oh right then, you can show it to us some other time. Now where were you in the questioning? General Anders and I would be here to witness the rest, okay?"

" Yes sir."

_**General Laws**_

I marvelled at Athrun's ability to stand up to me and if I was true to myself, I enjoyed that verbal and emotional sparring very much, it kept my mind young and healthy. But logically, I knew, that this attitude of his would cause quite a lot of trouble for me in the future. The bugs that I had set up in his house was filming each and every movement and word that had been uttered between the Representative and him. It was evident that something was wrong within their marriage and this would be the perfect opportunity to put my plan into action. Cagalli's clone was primed and ready and just waiting for the me to put her into the picture. My plan had been thwarted once but now the opportunity had once again presented itself and this time it would not fail. I chuckled to myself and looked on at Athrun interviewing the hapless guards.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Athrun**_

" Come in Athrun Zala, come in. No need for the formalities." A booming voice greeted me once the sliding door to General Laws' quarters whooshed open to reveal me. I nodded and lowered my hand, accepting the offer to go into General Laws office and was immediately transported from the cosy hallways of the Orb administration into a fanatically clean almost clinically so office. It had never ceased to amaze me at the neatness and tidiness of it all, everything was in place, the pens and pencils in their respective places in the holder which was exactly two inches away from the papers that the General was currently overlooking or signing. It was a known fact that he supervises everything from the cleaning of his desk to the hovering of the carpet and it scared the cleaning personnel witless.

" You wanted to see me sir?"

General Laws' hawk like eyes looked at me in an unconvincing lack of disinterest before asking the question I knew that was troubling him the day it happened." Yes. I hope that you have received news on the runaway suspects?"

I looked dispassionately at him, my mind whirling furiously to think of the reasons why he was so interested with the disappearance of Kira Yamato and the renegade Roy Kilburn but could come up with nothing. " No sir. I have not received anything on them. My team has been indeed trying to pinpoint their locations but have been unsuccessful so far. They are very good in hiding their tracks."

General Laws looked fleetingly as if he wanted to throttle or murder someone when he heard what I had to say but soon passed. He smiled an oily grin at me and said, " Well I do hope that you would try harder, after all you are the Representative's aide." _And husband. _I understood perfectly the pointed look and my dislike for him grew more, he had been planning something but nothing I did could unearth what he had his mind on. I saluted him once more before stepping out the uncomfortable room and walking away to my quarters which situated not far away from Cagalli's. As I passed by her office, I heard her voice quavering as she spoke to someone on the phone.

" You don't understand. I cannot do that. It would not help! I know you are right but there is nothing I can do! Just give me more time." With that the conversation ended and I was struck by the desperate pleading tone that Cagalli had used. I had not meant to eavesdrop on the conversation but I could not help overhearing it as the door to her office were opened which struck me again as odd. I knocked softly to attract her attention on the wooden panel and she looked up in surprise.

" Athrun? What are you doing here?"

I watched her movements and discovered that her hands were trembling even though she was trying to cover her distress by plastering a perky smile on her face. " What is wrong Cagalli? Is everything all right? You shouldn't push yourself so hard coming back to the office. Who was that on the line?"

I tried to slip in the last question as unobtrusive as possible but as usual her perceptiveness was amazing. Her expression changed immediately and threatened to crumble any moment but somehow or rather she kept her composure and retorted quite harshly, " It's none of your business. How dare you eavesdrop on my conversation."

" I'm sorry." I apologized, not understanding her irrational burst of anger. " But the door was open, I could not help overhearing the whole thing."

" Nothing is wrong, don't you have anything else to do?"

" Yes, I'm on my way back to my office from General Laws quarters. I just wanted to know…."

But before I could complete my sentence, she had cut me off abruptly," Do not worry about me Athrun. Just go and do whatever you have to do okay?" I nodded at her, head bowed low, I knew what had prompted this emotional burst as I recalled her last sentence that was muttered under her breath.

" _Why are you here Athrun?"_

This charade that the both of us were trying to keep up was crumbling bit by bit around us and the emotional torture that I was putting on the both of us were tearing us apart. I knew that if I did not do anything soon, the relationship between the both of us would be irreparably damaged. This whole front was my fault, I had put myself here in the first place, the memory of that fateful event crystal clear in my mind, but if I had thought by choosing Cagalli all my problems would be solved, it had backfired. My selfishness to have kept Kira in jail had turned sour, he had escaped and the wheel of fate is starting to turn.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Kira**_

I felt the wind whip through my hair as we travelled at breakneck speed down bumpy small roads to put as much distance between us and Hoxworth Prison. Both of us had not talked nor relaxed an inch since the escape and the feeling of exhilaration was slowly ebbing away and in place was the fear of the unknown future. It had been three years for me and a whole lot more for Roy, what had changed in these few years? I observed my surroundings as much as I could in the dark but there was nothing that I could detect. It was night and a good six hours since the escape yet none of us were able to let our guard down till we found shelter. Orb was an island not at all a big place, and though the wild provided good coverage it was limited. I wondered what our next step would be. Planning the past two years had mostly involved getting out of prison but not where to go after. Yet, still I appreciate Roy's help. I looked above me to the stars and could not help feeling nostalgic as this particular moment triggered a memory.

"_Look Athrun! A wishing star! Quick quick! Make a wish!"_

" _I don't believe in all this."_

" _Just do it!" I thumped him hard on the back eliciting a wince and he closed his eyes to make that wish._

_A few seconds later his emerald eyes popped open and he said a little exasperatedly " Satisfied now?" _

_I looked at him, smiled and nodded. I settled back into the jeep that we had drove in and looked into the inky black sky. " What did you wish about?"_

" _It's a secret." He winked. " What about you? What did you wish for?"_

_Both of us looked at each other and grinned, youthful and free, he knew what I was about to say even before I opened my mouth, " It's a secret too right?" I nodded and the both of us settled back into the jeep in companionable silence._

" What you thinking about kid?"

I looked at Roy startled before relaxing, " Nothing much."

" We need to stop for petrol soon, and maybe we could get something to eat. It would be dangerous and I hope that we could find something else to wear that would give us more cover. By now, our escape would probably all over the news."

" I know. But we made it. We made it out." I watched his silhouette that was illuminated by the passing streetlights and noticed his mouth quirk up in a small smile.

" Yes, we did kid. We did."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Cagalli**_

I looked in disbelief at Athrun, my ears ringing with the information he had just bombarded me with. " He's escaped? When?"

" This afternoon."

" No clues whatsoever?"

" No."

I looked down at my fingers and noticed hazily that they were clenched into fists very tightly, the pain that came from breaking skin did not faze me at all, in fact, I welcomed it. I welcomed anything that could take away the thoughts that were currently running through my head at the speed of a freight train. My eyes roamed everywhere, taking in surfaces of my cottage, noting the furniture and most of all his presence in the room. He did not notice me looking at him and I knew that this news had struck a chord within him. Hope? Maybe. Anger? I did not know. I wanted to stop thinking about it and ask him straight to the face like I did before but I found that I could not. I did not dare, not after what had happened before. I could not take the answer that I knew was deep within him and bubbling closer now to the surface with my twin brother's escape. Silence enfolded the both of us in it's arms and during that uncomfortable period of time, a memory popped involuntarily into my head, it was the earlier conversation between me and Lacus Clyne.

" _You cannot hold it back from them. You had just put your twin brother in jail for three years. He was innocent!" Her voice that transmitted back to me was incredulous, disbelieving when I broke down after her insistent questioning and told her everything. She could not comprehend what I had done._

" _Do not think for a moment that I had not regretted that decision!" I screamed back down the phone to Lacus before continuing softly this time," I love Athrun too much to loose him. I thought I could. I tried, but I can't. You don't understand."_

" _Was it worth it?" Lacus's voice came back from the other end, sympathetic and sad. She already knew the answer. It was not worth it, Athrun had not been mine, he was never mine in the first place. Sure he had married me, but his heart was with Kira, my twin. A part of him had died and stayed there in Hoxworth Prison, the man that was with me was no more than a shadow, the shell of the man I had fallen in love with. The realisation had came early, but selfish as I was, I clung to it desperately like driftwood with hope that he would soon change his mind, that maybe he could love me instead of Kira. With that small glimmer of hope, three years had passed with no changes whatsoever, Athrun was still miles away from me and my brother had missed three years of his life._

" _You have to tell them sooner or latter."_

"" _You don't understand. I cannot do that. It would not help! I know you are right but there is nothing I can do! Just give me more time."_

" _Please don't dig yourself deeper into the grave, tell Athrun before everything blows up in your face. Cagalli Yula Attha, you have to do it!" Tired of listening to her, I had slammed down the phone, hands shaking and looked up to see Athrun._

" Cagalli? Are you okay? Cagalli!" Athrun's voice called me back to the present, I looked at him before avoiding his eyes.

" I'm fine." I took in a deep breath and caught his arm as he started for the kitchen. " There is something I need to tell you."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**Athrun**_

" There is something I need to tell you." Cagalli said, her voice strangely devoid of any emotion and her honey blonde hair hid her amber coloured eyes from my view.

" Is something wrong?"

" Kira Yamato is innocent."

" Huh? What?" My mind was slow at grappling what she was trying to tell me.

" Kira was not the one who hurt me."

" What are you trying to say?" I could not believe my ears, I struggled to keep my emotions in check but I was fighting a losing battle. " Cagalli, please say what you want to say," I left the last part unspoken and she stiffened, she understood the unsaid threat.

" After the confrontation with you, I went to Kira's house. I had to ask him…I had to ask him about him and you, whether it was mutual. He was drunk, he passed out on the sofa before I could ask him anything and I walked into his kitchen to get him a cup of water. Just as I was turning, somebody attacked me, it was a woman, her features were hidden by the dark but I knew it was a woman, she had a knife and she stabbed me. I tried to run and I was so scared. I was screaming and screaming but no one came. I tripped over the table beside the sofa Kira was lying on and fell, the assailant had wanted to kill me but Kira saved me by stirring and by that time, a neighbour had rushed in and everything else was like you know." Cagalli was like a commentator commenting about a football match or a basketball match with no feeling whatsoever, just a woman talking in a robotic detached tone about some mundane thing that had happened three years ago. None of us moved, none of us talked, I was barely able to grasp and to make sense what she was telling me about. And then everything clicked into place and I exploded.

_**Cagalli**_

" Is it true!" I heard him say softly, venom dripping from his voice and I nodded miserably in confirmation. " You kept this all to yourself for three years?" His voice grew louder and more menacing.

I bowed my head in shame and did not look up. I could not look up, I did not want to see the hurt, the anger, the hatred, the disgust that was in his eyes. I could feel the tears forming in my eyes and I tried blinking them away, tried shutting them into a box and willed myself to think of good things, happy things to prevent myself from crying.

" You knew the truth and you never said a word in three years?" Athrun was pacing the room like a caged lion now, his fury full blown and very evident. " He was your brother!"

" I..I.." I tried to get the words out, I wanted to defend myself, I wanted to tell him that what I had done was all because of him, but I could not get the words out.

" When were you going to tell me Cagalli? Were you planning to hide it for the rest of your life? Don't you have morals!"

I looked up in shock when he near shouted the last sentence and this time it was me who exploded, " Morals! Who do you think you are by lecturing me about morals! Do you think I wanted to! I loved my brother! You were the coward Athrun, you had your chance to prove him innocent but you thought that you were doing the noble thing by marrying me, don't you dare preach to me about morals. All of us were unhappy, and it was our fault! Not mine only Athrun, don't you dare put all the blame on me!"

" I cannot believe that you are saying something like that," But his eyes were avoiding mine and I knew that he was feeling guilty too.

" Please Athrun, we could do this together, we, no I could go and tell them everything, everything!" I was begging but I did not care, it was not the time to think about pride and dignity.

" Cagalli, don't you understand? It's too late. Too late for the both of us to do anything to save the whole situation not when Kira is out." He turned to walk away from me and towards the front door.

" Stand by me Athrun. Please." I said softly, desperately. My last plead, my last hope for our future. But the only answer he gave me was the slamming of the front door. I had lost. He was gone. And I was all alone once more, defeated by my own stupidity.

_**General Laws**_

" Stand by me Athrun. Please."

I watched with passionless eyes as the whole situation unfolded in the screens in front of me. I was sitting there listening to everything that had went on between the two spouses in the hidden room in my quarters, I smiled and thought to myself that this time Lady Luck had helped me clinch the moment. I basked a little while more in that glow of glee before pressing the button that would connect me instantly to that moronic General Anders. I waited impatiently for him to waddle to the phone and before he could say anything to me I had spoken.

" Send her now."


	3. Sakura

**I do not own Gundam Seed.**

Heya! Okay, a few points before I begun, ne?

1. A really sincere thanks to all those who had reviewed, you guys really really made my day! ( Tears brimming ) And to those who had just begun and had not reviewed please do remember that a review is a writer's best friend. ( Wink )

2. Once again, words in Italics are either thoughts of a certain person or memories of the past.

3. I would like to correct a mistake that I made previously, the generals I mentioned in the past chapter are actually Colonels, I apologize for that mistake.(Bows respectfully)

4. This is a short summary of what had happened:

Cagalli Yula Athha, caught up in the past, betrayed by the present.

Athrun Zala, bound by vows to the girl he married and by heart to the lover he left behind.

Kira Yamato, the avenger of his past with the wounded soul.

Roy Kilburn, the man who made a promise which he intends to hold.

Colonel Jonathan Anders, a coward through and through.

Colonel George Laws, a crafty old man who craves control.

5. And last but not least, any questions would be gladly answered as long as you ask.( smiles) So without further ado, I present to you...

**Sakura**

by : frost2light  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_**General Laws**_

" Stand by me Athrun. Please."

I watched with passionless eyes as the whole situation unfolded in the screens in front of me. I was sitting there listening to everything that had went on between the two spouses in the hidden room in my quarters, I smiled and thought to myself that this time Lady Luck had helped me clinch the moment. I basked a little while more in that glow of glee before pressing the button that would connect me instantly to that moronic General Anders. I waited impatiently for him to waddle to the phone and before he could say anything to me I had spoken.

" Send her now."

**Cagalli**

I did not want to move, I could not as my brain played the scenes from back then relentlessly. The slamming of the door, the disgust, Athrun leaving. Tears dripped down my face, pooling near my hands where I had slumped, back against the wall for support. I looked around the familiar surroundings, trying to remember what it was like to be happy, to feel Athrun's presence, but try as I might, I could not recall anything. Nothing. It was just a shell, a hollow space where I lived. Memories of the past streamed through but nothing was worth mentioning.

_Look what you have got yourself into. The pretence is off, and what are you left with?_

I laughed out loud, a tired, sad laugh with the tears still streaming down my face. I pushed myself further into the wall, as if to find comfort in the cold bricks and huddled with my knees to my chest.

_You'll be okay._

_Shut up!_

_Time will heal the wounds._

_Have you tried cutting yourself with a knife? The wound hurts with bright red blood as evidence. But, have you scraped your skin before? There is no evidence, nothing to show that you are hurt but that wound hurts more than a cut. It's unseen but it's there. I feel like that now._

_It'll heal with time._

_Please shut up. Let me be for now. Just let me rest._

I curled further into myself and when the doorbell rang, I did not care about it. When the door splintered and crashed open, I just let it be.

**Kira**

"_Athrun, look! It's the sun!" I whispered excitedly like a child to the boy beside me. He turned towards me, smiling and nodded. It was the first day of freedom, the war had ended and we were standing side by side, safe and sound._

" _It's beautiful." He mumbled, totally awed by the rising of the sun, a beginning of a new day, a day with no war._

" _Yes it is." I said aloud whilst in my heart I wished that I could add ' So are you'._

" Kid, wake up. Hey Kid."

I opened my eyes involuntarily, unwilling to end the dream that I was having, and rubbed my eyes groggily.

" Wha..at?" I mumbled and tried to focus in the pitch black darkness. " Where are we?"

" Kid! What's wrong with you? We have to hurry. We've spent too much time in one place. We have to move."

Only then did I remember that we were fugitives, runaways. My sleepiness and the dream vanished into the past, I was alert once again and looked around my surroundings warily. We were in a large field, where we had stopped for the night. It was cold, but it had to do. We could not risk staying anywhere in case someone noticed us and alerted the police. We had stopped for petrol along the way at a twenty four hour self service petrol kiosk. The man was sleepy and hardly paid much attention to us, for that we were grateful. We pooled our money resources together and managed to get a full tank and some provisions to last us for a few days. The money that we had did not come easy, we had bargained and bribed, challenged and won in Hoxworth for the last two years, it was not much, but it was enough.

" Where are you planning to go?" I asked Roy.

" Where everything is going to start." He said enigmatically.

" What do you mean? I don't understand."

" We have to disguise ourselves, we are bound to be passing people soon and I don't want us landing ourselves back into prison. We look rather out of place, don't you think?"

I looked down at our uniforms and realised what Roy Kilburn was saying is true. It was one thing to appear in public as a guard but with blood splattered on the front, it was painting a bull's eye on ourselves.

" Where are we going to get clothes? We don't have any more money to get any and what's more, we can't just walk into a store without anyone noticing us."

" We'll be passing some farms soon. We'll improvise then." Roy said under his breath as he hot wired the jeep once again before setting it into reverse and driving away from the field. We were on the move once again.

**Athrun**

I looked at the people milling about me and I narrowed my eyes ominously. I wanted to shout at them to get out of my way but I couldn't get my brain to command my mouth to speak coherently. I had been drinking in a bar and was now officially stinking drunk. I tried to grab hold of something before I toppled over and sat down slumped in a heap by the roadside. I watched the cars zooming by, each of them having a destination to be and I laughed to myself. I wondered then what it was like to tempt death. I could just walk into the middle of the road and lay down there, any unsuspecting vehicle would not be able to see me in time and I would end up being road kill. I laughed to myself again and tried to get up in order to accomplish that thought but no sooner had I stood up, everything threatened to turn upside down and I fell back down unto the street. I shook my head to somewhat clear it and instead of making it better, everything seemed worse.

" Kuso." I cursed out loud, and this time laughter did not come, tears came instead. I could feel the wetness on my cheeks and I burrowed my head into my hands before curling up at the sidewalk. I had succumbed to my fear of choices and betrayed the one person who had so trusted me. I had chosen the path of no return.

_Are you going to wallow in self pity Athrun?_

_Shut up._

_I've been silent for too long, that is why you made that mistake._

_I can't go back._

_You are right. You can't, but you can go forward._

_How?_

_Find out the truth of that mysterious woman, be there for Cagalli._

_She lied to me._

_She loves you._

_I don't._

_She is still your wife, you chose that path. Do not run away and leave her now. Settle the problems, do not run, you have been running for far too long._

The conscience I had been hiding for so long with excuses and lies finally asserted itself and as I looked at the midnight sky and wondered where Kira was, I vowed to myself then to correct the mistakes that I had done and for once be the man that I was supposed to be, for Kira, for Cagalli, for me.

**Colonel Laws**

" Anders my dear friend, we have finally achieved what we had planned for so long." I was in a jovial mood as I toasted the man standing beside me in the hidden room in my quarters.

" Yes, the plan had indeed gone without a hitch, Representative Athha was unexceptionally docile." Colonel Anders said.

" Docile is hardly the word Anders, she was positively catatonic."

" What happened?" Colonel Anders asked, curious.

" Let's just say she met a rather rough patch." I said smirking before grinning a wide Cheshire grin while my brain replayed the scenes that happened barely an hour ago.

_The door smashed open to reveal the clone of Cagalli Yula Athha, her face in a feral expression. She glanced about the room warily, expecting resistance but was surprised that there was none. She had scouted the house a few times to get her bearings before this latest command and had indeed done her homework. There were no surveillance cameras as Cagalli had insisted that none was to be installed as she had so naively said once to Athrun that a home should be a home without any further explanation and ignoring all the arguments that Athrun had posed. The clone shook her head as she recalled those words, she had viewed all the videotapes of the two residents of this house that Colonel Laws had made during their stay. She stalked silently towards her clone and smirked down at her._

" _You are weak." She had said to Cagalli and was rewarded with a blank stare._

" _You." Was all Cagalli said before curling back into her foetal state and bothered the clone no more. The clone did what she had to do and was out of the house within minutes, completing the mission successfully with no margin of error._

" Colonel Laws, Laws!"

I hid my sigh of exasperation and looked up at Colonel Anders who had a concerned look on his face.

" What were you saying?" I asked, impatience in my voice.

" I was asking if the pawns are in place."

" Of course it is, do you think me a fool?"

" Would it succeed?"

" I know it will. The clone would take Cagalli's place and everything would be under our control."

" Won't Athrun suspect anything? He is after all her husband." Colonel Anders was still unconvinced.

" He won't, after what had happened, he will not be paying any attention to her at all." I smiled before continuing, " Besides that, the clone has been fully trained to act like Cagalli, sound like Cagalli and looks could fool anyone."

" I sincerely hope you are right. There is too much at stake. I wonder if I should…"

" Are you saying you want out now, Colonel Anders?" My voice was deceptively soft as my eyes narrowed dangerously as I continued to scrutinize Anders harshly. He visibly cringed at my gaze before stuttering.

" No..no…of course not. What are you thinking?"

_I'm thinking I should eliminate you before you say something wrong._

" I should be asking you that question. Have you forgotten the things that you had said that night? You had said that you would give up anything and everything for your revenge of are you forsaking your sister now."

Anders face was florid and I could see his veins throbbing as he said " I will never forsake her! Her death will be avenged."

I had caught Anders and once again ensnared him in my web of deceit, he was so predictable. Many would think that he wanted power but in reality, Anders is and will always remain a simple man, he just wanted revenge for his dead sister. A sister he had clearly loved and revered, he had not accepted her death at all and had blamed the Athha family for her demise as she was sacrificed because of their stupid ideals. He had been crying by himself at the announcement of peace and the inauguration of Cagalli Yula Athha three months after the rebuilding efforts.

" _Curse the Athha family! Why should they have survived when you died? It's not fair!" I heard him mumble and gurgle through his tears._

" _Colonel Anders, is that you?" I had inquired politely._

" _Who's there?" Anders straightened up perceptibly and straightened his clothing before confronting the intruder of his private world. He stiffened further when he found that intruder to be me. I was amused._

" _What are you doing here alone?" _

" _Nothing, just getting some fresh air. It was stuffy inside." He said uncomfortably, aware that I had indeed heard him cry and the words that he had just said._

" _Do not worry, Anders, I did not hear anything."_

_A moment of silence passed us by and I could see him trying to make up his mind about trusting me before he visibly relaxed and said " Thank you."_

" _I'm sorry about your loss. She would have been happy for the peace."_

" _What would you know?" He said bitterly, " How could she be happy? She's dead! Everything that she was, is and had yet to be ceased when that blasted debris took her life! What would she know!"_

" _What are you going to do about it? You can't bring her back no matter what you try to do." I was baiting him, trying him and I was pleasantly surprised when he answered._

" _I don't care. I will avenge her, I will! Let them feel the pain of losing a loved one. Let them know how I feel."_

" _What are you planning to do?"_

_He deflated immediately at that question and I knew that he had nothing planned, he was all talk._

" _I don't know." He said tiredly, disappointedly._

" _I have a plan."_

_He looked at me with disbelieving eyes and I understood his suspicion. I was the model politician, someone who was the first to be there, loyal, smart and hugely popular with the other committee members and not someone who would plot someone's else demise. But that was after all in the past. I was that way because I had thought that by doing so, I would be next in line for the leadership in Orb but I had been too naïve in the past and since a young girl had came to power while I was left with nothing, I had vowed then to get it myself. I requested him to meet me secretly after the party and everything was set and put to motion. From that day onwards, he was the man I had recruited to use as my puppet. In the community, I was always the man who was feared and respected while his image, through me, was destroyed beyond tatters. It was the good cop, bad cop role play, not that he cared. He had no use for that at all, his heart was filled with hatred and revenge, unfortunately, there was one thing that proved cumbersome. His cowardice and his general apathy for peace. _

" Colonel Anders, I was not questioning your loyalty about your sister, please do not misunderstand, I'm sure she knows that you are trying extremely hard to avenge her wrongful death."

" I'm just tired, Laws. What are you going to do about the real Representative?" Colonel Anders finally asked the important question.

" Well now, that is for me to know and for you to find out. Ask no more of it and I will tell you no lies."

" What is that supposed to mean?" Colonel Anders was flustered. He had not expected that kind of answer. " Are you planning to kill her?"

I shrugged." It depends on her use. The clone might be well trained, but we still need the real Cagalli in case something goes wrong, let's just say that she being alive is a back up plan."

" Where are you keeping her?"

" Like I said Anders, ask no more of it. Just play the stupid oaf that you are and you would be spared the details. I know that you don't want to hear it, so please do leave it at this." I had said in a tone that discouraged arguments. Anders looked positively scandalized but he said no more. He knew that I was right, he was a coward who wanted nothing to do that would taint his snow white hands, he would be the sidekick as long as the things that he was required to do was to his liking. He had a code of honour but no matter what he liked to think, he was as deep into this as I am, I was merely placating his conscience in order for him to function. A wise woman had once told me, that a good leader knows how to work his way around his subordinates weakness in order to get the best out of them. When I was young, I could not comprehend what she had told me, but now not only I fully understand what she had been saying I had been using this method on Anders and it was working like a charm. My mother had been the wise woman and I appreciated her advice more than ever now.

The mood in the room was tensed and I sighed inwardly. It was so hard to coddle a child. " Come now Anders, do not look so upset, let's drink to your sweet revenge. We aren't far from success now."

Anders managed a small smile but his forehead was still creased into a frown. He lifted his wine glass somewhat reluctantly and shivered when both of our glasses clicked together with a small 'chink' that resonated in the quiet room while the screens that depicted Athrun's cottage danced and flickered in the background. Anders had signed a deal with the devil.

**Athrun**

I came back to the cottage in the early hours of the morning, slightly more sober than before to find the wrecked front door. My blurred senses kicked back to life immediately by that sight and I dashed into the house calling Cagalli's name.

" Cagalli!" I shouted into the seemingly empty house. I rushed from room to room to find nobody and was breathing heavily by the time I reached the bathroom that was located at the back of the house.

" Cagalli!" I shouted again and tried the bathroom door, praying hard that she would be in there. I stood there stunned for a few moments when I realised that the door was locked and feared for the worse. My imagination showing me various pictures of Cagalli laying in a pool of blood, dead. I shook my head to clear it and forced myself to block out all of the incredibly heart stopping thoughts. I moved back a few steps in order for me to gain more leg room to kick down the door when the bathroom door swung open to reveal Cagalli.

" Cagalli!" The relief that I felt in seeing her safe and sound was beyond description but when I saw her swollen eyes and her tear stained cheeks, all feelings of relief flew out the window. I looked away and tried desperately to think of something to say.

" I'm so sorry." She whispered, her voice hoarse from the crying ." Don't leave me, Athrun" She pleaded, her hands by her side. She looked so much like a broken doll.

" I won't leave you, Cagalli. We will make things right." Courage that had escaped me for so long filled me and I raised my hand to draw her into my arms. It was the least that I could do. A simple hug that both of us needed. I was surprised when she tensed but concluded it was because of the confrontation earlier. She relaxed once she was sure that I would not hurt her and the both of us stood there, gathering comfort from the each other.

" Thank you." She whispered into my ear before closing her eyes and fainting in the doorway. I picked her up easily and carried her to her bedroom. I knew that she was exhausted by the events that had happened and I did not blame her, I was emotionally and physically drained too. I longed for a long hot bath to clear my head and to strategize on what I should do in the future. I had two things in mind, the first to find Kira's whereabouts while the second was to find the person who had harmed Cagalli.

_Rest tonight._

_I know._

_Talk to Cagalli about what happened that day. There are missing parts and pieces that only she knows._

_I know._

_Get the information to prove Kira's innocence._

_I know and thank you._

_You are a weird guy. You are thanking yourself._

I smiled my first genuine smile for the first time in years at myself and felt slightly better. There would be a tomorrow for all of us, I know it would be hard but I know that somehow all of us would make it through, the war at Jachin Due had taught us that. While this was not a war that I was used to fighting but it was a war nonetheless as the objectives are the same, protect the ones I love. For that, I would be prepared. It would be a battle till the end.

**Cagalli**

I opened my eyes groggily, my head pounding and throbbing, only to find myself in the dark. I looked around me in terror, I had not been one for the dark and as I moved, a heavy clanking noise could be heard while my arms and legs felt heavy. I tried to reach one of my arms but found to my dismay that I could not. There was a coldness and a clanking sound that reminded me very much of chains. Realisation dawned upon me and I knew that that woman who had came after Athrun walked out was responsible for all these. She had my face and a part of me wondered what the hell was going on and where I was but the other part was too depressed and out of hope to think much about the whole incident.

_Are you going to give up here?_

_Why are you still bothering me?_

_I have to. I'm what that is going to keep you alive._

_What reason do I have to live?_

_Athrun was not your whole life Cagalli. You and I know it. _

_Shut up._

_This is not you, stop wallowing in the dark, help your brother. Save yourself._

_Why should I? Being in here is good._

_Where are we?_

_What do I care?_

I closed my eyes again to be surrounded by more darkness, I could hear water dripping and the chill in the air and I shivered.

_We are imprisoned._

_So?_

_Are you going let her win?_

_What's that to me?_

_Athrun is in danger. He will find out sooner or later and what would happen of him?_

_He can take care of himself. He won't go back to that house anyways._

_You know he will._

_He won't._

_He will. Save him if not yourself._

_I can't. It hurts too much to move._

_You are a coward._

_I know. Now please leave me alone. _

**Kira**

" Are you ready?" I heard Roy Kilburn ask in low undertones.

" Yes."

" Just let me grab the clothes and you try to find whatever that can be useful for us okay?"

" Okay."

" Let's go."

We had shut off the engine and let the jeep roll over the grass near the farms to avoid detection and parked in between trees where even if people saw would think their eyes were playing tricks on them. I was thankful for the clouds that covered the bright moonlight and we crept out of the jeep, careful not to make a sound. It was early in the morning but the sun would be up soon and we had to hurry if we wanted to use the darkness as our cover.

We separated and went our own ways to accomplish what we had agreed earlier on. I looked at my surroundings and was struck by how peaceful, how normal it was. I wondered at that point whether would I ever be able to have this life again. The dream of peace that had prompted me to fight in the first place seemed so long ago, it was not fair that I had not the time to savour it before I was once again thrown into a place where the laughter and friendship of before ceased to be. I had fought not so long ago in order to protect, yet none had fought to protect me. I wanted to erase all those negative thoughts from my head and to believe that I had friends who would come and rescue me, but the three years in jail had made me bitter, cynical. People had thought me to be the angel, the protector, but I wished that someone would take that heavy load off my shoulders, at least for awhile. I was tired, I still am. I wanted to breathe, to fly free, just for a while, I wondered if that was too much to ask. Yet, instead of that, I was left alone and in the dark, suffering for the sins of others, I wished that I could turn back the time, to where I had a purpose to live on. The tears that I had cried had dried a long time ago, leaving a numb heart, a frozen part of me who wanted to live yet was still bound to the bitterness that I harboured. Is there a point of continuing?

_Isn't finding out the truth worth living on?_

_I don't know. Is it? What does finding out the truth bring back?_

_Your innocence._

_But that does not matter, does it?_

_Your sister is in danger. Have you forgotten about your promise to protect the ones that you love?_

_I know._

_Don't give up. You know that Athrun did not want to betray you._

_But he did._

_Don't give up. There's always a tomorrow. Please._

_Then give me a sign. Anything._

I looked sadly up into the dark sky as my inner selves debated and noticed the faint glow of the moonlight gleaming through the clouds. I worried about being seen but as I hurried to turn back into the shadows, I finally realised what I was standing below as that shaft of moonlight illuminated it.

" Hey kid, did you find anything? Here change into this." Roy Kilburn paused in mid whisper as he noticed my facial expression. " You are smiling." He said as if in awe.

I nodded and continued to do what he asked me to do.

" What happened?"

" Nothing." I continued smiling.

" What do you mean?" He asked suspiciously." Is everything alright?"

" Let's go." I said without explaining and walked back towards the jeep without a backward glance, leaving a puzzled Roy behind. However, the image of what I had saw was safely imprinted into my heart as it was the sign that I had asked for, proof that everything would be okay, that there is hope. It had happened once before, when Athrun and I had to say our goodbyes, I had made a wish under that particular tree, and the wish had come true. Now, as I walked away, I wished once again silently in my heart, under that sakura tree, that I would once again be reunited with the friend, companion and lover that I had missed so much. The sign of hope, a sakura tree.


	4. The Lover After Him

Whopee! Another chappie up! Okay first things first :

1. Italics would be once again either thoughts of a person or the somebody reliving the past.

2. A sincere thanks to everybody who had reviewed (HUGE toothy grin.) I love you guys.

Nevermore-Amaya : It's Colonel, I made a mistake in the second chapter, for that I apologize. Thanks for your reviews, they are incredibly ego boosting.(wink)

Climax : Cagalli won't be dead, well that might change depending on what I intend to do with thsi ficcie, but for now, she's safe.(Smile) About the sakura tree, well I can't really explain much but do read " Returning Home" , another Athrun X Kira ficcie. It would explain more about the sakura tree.

xxlilvietgurlxx : Cagalli wasn't in two places at once, the clone had taken her place after she broke into the cottage. She had kidnapped Cagalli under Colonel Laws orders and had taken her place in case Athrun came back, it was to prevent Athrun from realising what was happening.

Spyrit Phoenyx : Cagalli's 's choice of security would be explained in this chappie, hope you like it.( Smile) Had been planning to reveal the truth when Athrun and Cagalli had a chance to see ecah other again.

Well...that's about what I had to say about explaining some blur spots in the fics. ( smile ) Hey, I might not be able to post that frequently in the future but I will keep my fingers crossed, I won't let you guys down don't worry. ( HUGE wink ). Oh well...let's proceed to the story shall we? I present to you...

**The Lover After Him**

by : frost2light

**Colonel Laws**

I watched in amusement, not to mention pride as Cagalli's clone- clone number five- fainted theatrically into Athrun's unsuspecting arms. It was a gamble when I had sent the clone there that very night and it had paid off when Athrun walked through that door. Athrun Zala was after all not a man who shirks his responsibilities and by the looks of it, he plans to stand by Cagalli through and through. As the thought materialised in my head, a smirk crept onto my face. Indeed, I knew what Athrun was thinking, him coming back was mainly in order to allow him to be able to dig further about the incident, about the woman that the real Cagalli had mentioned. However, things would not be so easy with the clone in place. She would try her best and do what her teacher, me, had taught her to do so perfectly, which was to misdirect. Thinking about Cagalli's clone brought back fond memories of the past or more accurately put, two years before, that I did not plan to erase. It was a month after the day Colonel Anders had been ensnared in my trap.

"_Sir, the cloning is a success."_

" _How many this time?" I asked the young scientist standing in front of me._

" _Five. Everything of them are similar to the Representative herself."_

" _Good. Excellent. Report this to the other committee members too." I ended the conversation and sat back into my chair with a satisfied smile. _

_The cloning process was a system recently developed from the information that was attained from certain renegade Naturals who had been in charge of that respective field before the war had come to be. Money had played a huge factor in this agreement and though it was a high price to pay, it was definitely worth it. The plan that I had been formulating was beginning to take root after so long and with Colonel Anders with me, the success rate would be close to a hundred percent._

_I flipped through the data that was in front of me, depicting the experiments and results in neat black printed words and I allowed myself a little smile. None of the council members were even aware of what I was planning to do, only that pesky Roy Kilburn. But, Roy would no longer be in my way as I had a little surprise in turn for him. He had been recently put in charge to supervise the weaponry department and it was so easy to plant things that would make him look so guilty in front of any jury. Things that would hint at betrayal or even maybe illegal weapon trade. It would be so much fun to wipe that irritating know it all look from Roy Kilburn's face. The other committee members were merely pawns in this huge game of chess, people whom I had the power to make or destroy with the incriminating evidence I had of them that depicted certain things or events that they would not wish to make public. _

_For instance, who would have thought the admirable, married, Lisa Kurt has a toy boy that keeps her entertained every time she has a holiday anywhere, or the stern looking law abiding Yumiko Tara was entangled with gambling debts so deep, she would have sell her soul to the devil to pay just the interest rates or the oh so straight laced Halu Fu is actually a closet gay who has been frolicking with Lisa Kurt's husband? Nobody. But in reality, these three important figures were indeed doing what I had just described. Oh the web of deceit and lies those people entangle themselves in and I could not help the snide smile from appearing on my face. _

_I focused once again onto the data in front of me to check for any margin of error and was struck by how ironic the whole situation was. The experiments that were done to produce the Representative's clones were in actual fact in order to protect her. The Representative's job's description which ranges from making political speeches, to visiting war torn countries in order to give encouragement or comfort or just to merely make a presence in some boring party that alliances organized is rather dangerous. Who knows what was to happen in the future? An assassination? A kidnapping event? The clones were there to take her place if the conditions were too dangerous for the real Representative to make an appearance especially when her presence there is needed. That is their purpose. However, now in this case, the experiment was about to be used against Cagalli, the clones would play an important role in helping me get to the top and the process has barely begun. _

_The cloning process has produced fruitful results but more work was to done before everything could be _

_In place especially the training of the five clones. Their personalities, the way they walk, talk or act was of the utmost importance. Replacing the genuine Cagalli with a fake is a tedious process and high risked project, if failed could bring down everything that I had worked so hard for. However, if it did work, I would be able to realise my dream, the dream that I had been harbouring since young, the dream to able to rule. Power was everything and I hope to have attained that before I died. They had chosen me as the perfect candidate for overseeing this project, partly because of the perfect loyal follower that I had portrayed since the beginning of time and the fact that I was a sucker for details. I am a perfectionist, everything must be polished and right and this project had to have a leader who had qualities like mine. If I had believed in fate and destiny, it could be said that I was destined and fated to be in charge of this plan, and that Cagalli was doomed since the start of it. _

I yawned and pushed the chair that I was sitting away from the flickering screens and looked at the digital clock that was directly above me. It was twenty five past two and exactly thirty seconds in the morning, the clock boasted of absolute accuracy and had all the different time zones that I could change at will. It was the perfect symbol of me, precise and versatile. One cannot expect less of what Lord Uzumi Nara Athha to have given his follower as a gift. I smiled and got up from the chair. It was time to go to sleep.

**Kira**

I got as comfortable as one could get in a jeep that was hurtling down rocky uneven roads through a picturesque landscape that screamed countryside which was still shrouded in darkness. I had no idea what time it was as I was not wearing a watch nor had the jeep had any time indicator that I could utilize. I sneaked a look at Roy's profile but I could barely make out any expression except the brows that were knitted into a frown.

" What are you looking at kid?"

I paused, unsure of what to say before blurting, " How did you know I was looking?"

" Past history. Training, jail, you know."

" Do you have a plan to where we are going?" I changed the subject, though I could not see his features, his voice when he had answered was bitter and angry, we were travelling at quite a fast pace and I did not want to die just yet.

" Yes."

I was surprised. " Where?"

" A safe house."

" A safe house? What do you mean?"

" I bought it years ago and buried it under tonnes and tonnes of paperwork as a backup plan in case something happened, that I would have a place to go to."

" You foresaw your capture?"

" It was imminent, I was a someone they had to get rid of, but since they could not kill me, though it was not through lack of effort." Roy paused, caught in past memories before continuing, "So the next best thing was to discredit me. I was in charge of the armoury back then, someone who sat on the committee, a person who had power and people who listened. I found out about their plans purely by accident and I thought I could just pretend but somehow they knew and they came down strongly. It was either obey or regret for the rest of my life."

Silence filled the tense atmosphere. Both of us knew quite well what Roy had chosen. I cleared my throat and asked the question that both of us knew that I was bound to ask after what he had just told me.

" Do you regret it then?"

Roy stayed silent while I looked out of the window. Just as I thought that he was not about to answer he did.

" I wished that I could say no, that I do not regret my decision, but, both of us would know it would not be the truth. I loved the life I had back then, power, money, fame, I had a life any man would have sacrificed anything to get. Many a time back in Hoxworth, I wondered what would It have been if I just obeyed what they had asked me to do. Toed the line, turn a blind eye, and not question their authority. I would have saved my ass, I would still be a powerful, influential man who was free instead of the fugitive that I am now ….." He broke off.

" But?" I prompted, knowing that there was more.

" But? But I could not do it. " I could see the corners of his lips quirk up into a smirk. " I was very tempted to, what they had offered was very tempting, very irresistible but I could not. Cliché as it sounded, I truly was a loyal follower of Lord Uzumi. I was very hurt when he had left me out and went on his own way to the next world, I would have gladly followed in his footsteps if he had just asked. I had berated myself long and hard , thought and analysed what I had done to deserve this but I could not come up with anything. Zilch." Roy's hands tighten on the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead, his gaze hardening.

" And?"

" It was about then did I find out about Colonel Anders and Colonel Law's little liaison that I realised why I was there. I finally had a purpose once more, I may sound like a fanatic to you, but Lord Uzumi was and still is the person I had admired and wished that I could be. I am what I am today because of him and I knew that his daughter was his legacy, the key for a better future and I was not about to let those two colonels ruin it."

My fists were clenched by my sides as I heard what Roy had to say while my eyes were trained straight ahead on the road. I did not know how to react, conflicting emotions went on a rampage within me. I wanted to curse myself for being selfish, for being so jealous over what Cagalli had chosen for her future happiness while the other part of me argued that everything was fair game in love.

_How could you be so stupid?_

_How does falling in love be quoted as being stupid?_

_You gave up so much for love. _

_I don't understand._

_Stop being so naïve. It was love for Athrun that you let the issue of your innocence drop. It was your love for your twin that you are out now trying to figure out what is going on._

_You are wrong. I want vengeance for my lost past._

_Stop lying to yourself. You and I know what the truth is._

" Kid, stop thinking so much. You will drive yourself crazy." Roy;s voice broke through that self inflicted torture and interrupted my train of thoughts. I looked at him in surprise waiting for him to elaborate while the surroundings slipped by us in a never ending shade of black.

Roy sighed before he cleared his throat, as if embarrassed or unsure of what to say and started, " Kira, you and I both know we both love Cagalli, love is a funny thing. We tell ourselves not to fall in love and we take so many precautions to strengthen that act because we know that we would get burnt, that it would leave us scarred. But no matter what our brains say our hearts do not listen. In reality, nothing can be defined as logic, how would know what is true? People are the ones who set the norm, kid. Nobody blames you for loving Athrun, nobody can foresee the future. Love is something that should have been beautiful and pure, but it is also something that cannot guarantee happiness. Ask yourself kid, would you have changed the past if you were able to? Would you go back in time to prevent what had happened from happening?" Roy smiled. " I know your answer is a no, you won't change a single thing, you would not have given up anything."

" How do you know?" I asked in a choked voice, my hands that were hidden from view trembling with the suppressed emotion that was bottled inside.

" How do I know?" Roy chuckled, amused that I had asked that simple a question. " You are an easy read kid. You rather sacrifice yourself, let others hurt you, step on you, order you around, carry and suffer for their sins just so that they would be safe and sound, happy and contented."

" You are wrong." I whispered.

" How wrong can I be when the evidence is right in front of you? Love makes people do all sorts of crazy things, you were willing to suffer in jail in silence for three years just so that Athrun and Cagalli could go on with their lives, happily married. You were willing to let go just so that your twin sister could get what she wanted even if she was the one who framed you."

" Don't you ever say that about Cagalli," I whispered but my threat was weak and both he and I knew it.

Roy chuckled again without saying anything and I knew that I had just proved his theory correct.

" What is your point?" I asked through gritted teeth, wishing that the conversation had not taken the path that is heading to now.

" My point is, don't berate and waste your energy thinking about stuff that is not high on our priority list, saving your sister and preventing what could be a catastrophe is. Putting men like Anders and Laws in charge might mean another war, they are power hungry people Kira, and they will not stop at just one measely small country. I may sound like a demanding old man, a person who has a generation gap with you kids, maybe I don't understand how you feel as I have never been through things like this, but you know that I'm right, that emotions are no longer at the top of our list. I've given you time to mourn, that first year in jail? That was your wallow in self pity and lick your wounds time, but now, now is the time to seal them up in a box and dumped far into the recesses of your brain. So please, think about what the hell we should do instead of mourning over things that cannot be changed. Do not for once think that I would coddle you or whisper sweet consolations into your ears. It is a hard world and a changing one, pause for a moment to dally and everything will drown you. This an advice from somebody who is more experienced in this kind of matters."

I said nothing, and Roy's voice softened, " Kid, I know I sound harsh and it's not far for you but just bear with it a little longer, you are not alone in this."

Still I said nothing as I watched the view go by while the sun rose lazily into the sky setting everything alight with it's colours, Roy's words echoing in my mind and I knew that he was right. Now is not the time and place for weaknesses like this. I remembered the sakura tree and the wish that I had made, it would come true I know, but there would be a price to pay. The price? Total dedication to the cause. I smiled. I could do that.

" Thank you." I said, low under my breath but I knew Roy had heard as he smiled in response. Words need not to be spoken out loud, I had conveyed my message loud and clear.

" Prepare yourself, we will be at the house soon."

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**Athrun**

I woke up with a pounding headache by the ringing mobile phone and the smell of eggs and bacon. I flipped to my side and looked at the digital clock on the bedside table.

_Eight twenty five._

I groaned and wondered who was calling at such an ungodly hour while a tiny part was curious as to what Cagalli was doing up so early in the morning, I pondered briefly about the options that I had and I groaned once more. I hated mornings with a vengeance and tried to snuggle back down into the soft bed. Unfortunately the ringing of the telephone seemed not to cease. Frustrated I turned back towards the bedside table and answered the phone.

" Hello?" I rasped, my throat parched and dry while my mouth tasted foul and bitter from all the drinking that I forced down myself yesterday.

" Athrun?" A familiar voice came onto the phone, a voice that I had been dreaming of for so long.

" Kira?" I whispered, shell shocked.

" It's been awhile hasn't it Athrun?" Kira's voice was wistful, soft, gentle and the memories that I had shared with him came pouring back.

_You and I guarding each other's back in battle, willing to sacrifice our lives just to see the other safe._

_The sakura tree where both of us had bid goodbye._

_Me finding you alive and well after the battle at Jachin Due._

_You laughing with Torii perched on your shoulder._

_You leaving and blending into the darkness in jail._

The memories replayed itself with amazing clarity and before I could stop myself, I had blurted out what was foremost on my mind." Kira, where are you?"

The question brought both of us back into reality with a jolt with me regretting the question with every passing minute but what had been said could not be taken back and the only thing that I could do was to kick myself repeatedly for not thinking before I spoke.

" I can't tell you, is this a secure line?" Kira's voice was no longer gentle, no longer wistful. Instead it was short, staccato and businesslike and I felt a sudden overwhelming urge to howl like a wounded animal and plead Kira to revert back to his gentle self but I did not. I did the same to him.

" Yes. Where are you?" Both of us pretending to be perfect soldiers, humans with no emotions, conducting this conversation as if we did not know each other.

" Do not ask me things that you know I can't tell. If you don't want lies, don't ask things that would prompt them." The harsh voice came back, and I cringed inwardly. Outwardly, I rose to the challenge.

" Why are you calling then? Aren't you afraid that I would trace this call? How are you so sure that I'm not doing just that?"

" Because I trust you." Kira's voice was almost inaudible but I heard what he said clearly and I could feel the sadness and regret churn inside me, the guilt and the pain of the past three years threatening to overcome me.

" I'm so sorry." I whispered back, my voice raw and painful. I hoped he understood, I did not ask for forgiveness but for his understanding. The persona of the perfect soldier crumbling so easily when facing each other.

" Forget about that, we have all the time in the world to settle those unsettled issues but for now, that is not our priority. There's more pressing matters at hand."

" What do you mean?"

" I'm only going to state this once. Listen carefully, write it down if you need to but destroy it later."

I looked around frantically for a piece of paper and a pen before grunting as a confirmation that I was ready and Kira rattled off a name and a date with me scribbling furiously on the paper.

" Got it?" He asked.

" Yes."

" Make it alone and on time. We'll be waiting."

" Kira, I'm sorry." I had to say it again before he hung up, wanting to hear him say something, willing him to not hang up so fast.

An eternity of silence enveloped the both of us and my right hand which was holding onto the mobile was gripping it tight till I could see my knuckles turn white with the strain as I was afraid that he had hung up but before I could speak he spoke.

" I understand." His voice soft and gentle, filled with understanding and love but not without a hint of bitterness in it. Two words, simple and short but it erased the guilt and pain that I felt, you were the one who understood me the best after all.

" Thank you." _I love you. Forgive me. Come back. Stay. _I longed to say but he had hung up and I was left feeling empty and lonely again. I closed the mobile and leaned back unto the bed rest, recalling what Kira had said just now and looking at the messy handwriting in front of me. He had given me an address and a time, I looked at the clock once more.

_Eight thirty five._

Another five more hours to go till the appointed time, I had to get ready and prepared but a sudden knock on my bedroom door brought me back to where I was and I froze. My brows creased as I frowned, I had chosen to stay and find out everything that I could from Cagalli and I had forgotten all about her. The tell tale kitchen noises had ceased and I wondered for a moment whether had she heard the conversation between Kira and I.

" Athrun?" Another knock on the door and Cagalli's voice called my name from outside bringing with her the aroma of newly brewed coffee and breakfast that assaulted my senses. My stomach growled, indicating that I was hungry, famished really. I had not eaten since lunch yesterday as I had stormed out of the house yesterday in a rush before I could sit down for dinner. Cagalli had opted for the traditional way of somebody trying to apologize to another by pampering him or her with breakfast in bed. I was sorely tempted to turn her away, not out of spite, just that I had an important meeting to make. With Kira. And there was something else, a niggling feeling that something was wrong.

" Athrun? Are you awake?"

I gave a resigned sigh. Better now than never. I ignored the warning bells that chimed lout and clear when I called out, " Yes I'm awake, come on in."

The door creaked open slowly and a tray carrying the things that I had known would be on it appeared. Followed by a pair of hands that connected with the feminine shoulders and finally a familiar head which I hoped I could reveal what was going on in it.

" Breakfast in bed?" I asked.

" Hope you like it." Her response was sweet, docile. It didn't seem like her, yet it was her. There was something off, something pretentious about her whole behaviour. I looked at her puzzled, confused and she noticed.

" Is something wrong, Athrun?"

" Nothing. I'm sorry about yesterday." I looked at her, trying to smother the suspicion that I felt inside, How much had she heard? Had she been outside when I was speaking to Kira?

" Don't worry about it. Now eat." She smiled, an angelic smile filled with sunshine and sweetness and I relented.

" Thank you."

I picked up the knife and fork that she had included in the breakfast tray and proceeded to eat what she had prepared. She stayed by my side, looking on as I fed myself bacon and eggs, I felt uneasy under her scrutiny, the feeling of oddness coming back stronger than ever and before I could open my mouth to ask her was anything wrong I felt myself feeling extremely drowsy and woozy. I blinked furiously to try to keep myself awake but everything seemed to swim and wobble. I turned my head with effort to face Cagalli.

" What…ha..ve..you…done..?" I clutched my head, and felt myself slithering down unto the soft bed.

" Go to sleep Athrun Zala. Go to sleep." The voice was cold and it no longer sounded like Cagalli yet it was still her, I could tell.

" Cag..gali…? No…Who…are …you?" I tried to force out the words but it came out slurred.

She smiled, " That's for me to know and for you to find out. Good night Athrun." She taunted and I fell into a deep dark nothingness.

_Kira…._

Cagalli's clone looked down impassively and picked up the fallen piece of paper before reading it.

_Two o' clock. Devil's Incarnate._

She smiled. It was time for the plan to move into phase two. But first she had to get rid of unnecessary baggage. The real Cagalli's twin.

**Colonel Laws**

The mobile phone that was sitting squarely on the right to me rang, it's shrill tone echoing in the room that I called my quarters. I frowned. The echoes annoyed me, and I looked disappointedly at the plush carpeting and the padded walls around me.

_It should not have echoes. Why?_

" Yes?" I barked down unto the line, wasting no time for formalities or being polite. People who had this number were generally people who had to report in to me, people who I did not need to waste time or breath on as it was my private line, a secure line where I could conduct particular activities on. I had my own men in security and it was them who checks this line regularly for any planted mechanisms which would somehow disrupt my business. They had been on my payroll for a few years now and their fees are exorbitant but it was money that had to be spent.

" Sir." I perked up immediately when I recognised the voice on the other side.

" Yes?"

" It is a success. Where do you want me to place him?"

" How long will he be out?"

" For about five hours. The sleeping agent I used is quite strong, even for advanced Coordinators like him."

" Good. Pack him up and send him to me. You know the place. Will he be missed?"

" Yes. Kira Yamato called just five minutes before. He arranged for Athrun and him to meet."

" Where and when?"

" Devil's Incarnate at two."

I checked the time and smiled. Another five more hours to go and that was ample time. "Go in Athrun's place. Do what you have to do to bring both Kira Yamato and Roy Kilburn down. Got it?"

" Yes sir." Her voice was cool and dispassionate and the whole conversation had gone down as simple as a business transaction. I leaned back into my chair, I now had an appointment to keep with Athrun Zala, the man who could help or break me. I wondered what would he do when Cagalli was threatened, would he do the same to her as he had done to Kira Yamato? He is a selfish person and a coward, but cowards have hidden strengths and it would be entertaining and amusing to see what this particular coward could do.

I pressed the button that would link me to my secretary outside and waited for a few seconds before she picked up, " Amy, what do I have for this afternoon?"

Amy Roslinda, the perfect secretary with her immaculate taste in clothes and perfect figure answered promptly, " A meeting with General Halu Fu at one thirty and Lady Kurt at three."

" Cancel them and reschedule it for tomorrow."

" What should I tell them as an excuse, sir?"

" No need, just reschedule, they would not ask much."

" Yes sir, anything else, sir?

" Yes, I would be out this afternoon if anybody calls, redirect them to my mobile but only if it is extremely important or pressing matters, do you understand?"

" Yes sir."

I replaced the receiver and pushed my chair back before standing up, stretching as much as I could to get the kinks out of my body. I was getting old and I hated that fact, it made me weak somehow, thinking about the disadvantage I had compared to other younger people. I comforted myself with the fact that I was smarter than other average people which included the young and was temporarily placated. I unhooked the jacket that was hung nearby to the door and went out of the room, I nodded a greeting to Amy who was typing elegantly on the computer and I wondered what it was like to have her as my mistress. I have a wife, and I loved her, well as much as a man loved something who could cook, clean and wash. She was once a beauty but once again age had taken it's toll and I was still a virile man, Amy would be a trophy, a prize that I would award myself for the recent results. It did not occur to me that maybe Amy would resist, that she had somebody else in mind. What I wanted, I would get, if it doesn't go well, I would destroy it so that no one else could get what I could not. That was what I had learnt so long ago, poverty had that effect on a person. A poor person who had tasted money will never go back to where they had been once, it was a rule. Who would want to go back to the life that was shared with rats? Eating worms and rubbish, fighting with everyone and anybody who got in our way. That was the way of life that I had grown up with, and I did not plan to go back there. I walked with my head held high out the front door of the Orb administration building, it had been not long ago when dignity had once not existed in my dictionary, I had killed before I was twelve and grovelled in other people's shadow just to save my life. Yes dignity had not existed then but now, now was a different case and I plan to keep it that way.

_A beggar kid, dirty rat. Keep away from my shoes._

_What rubbish. Look at him. Dirty and smelly, never play with him._

_My mommy said that you were dangerous, she told me not to talk to you_

_He stole my wallet, he was the only one there. Catch him. Beat him up! Teach him a lesson that he would never forget._

That particular memory stuck to me like glue and that man had indeed taught me a very valuable lesson that fateful night. I had learnt it and kept it close to my heart, I would never be the one who would get beaten again, money was the key. With money came power, with power came respect and respect is an addictive thing. I vowed then at age eleven that nothing would get in my way to the top. The people who had taunted me got what they deserved in the later years, they received what they had given me. Names were ruined, business went bankrupt, I had an amazing memory and that memory had served me well. The man that had taught me that valuable lesson that night held a special place in my heart, I had given him the special treatment and I was there to witness it. His screams and cries of pain and mercy were merely music to my ears, the metallic stench of his blood had filled the air as mine had filled that night, his body was so mutilated the police had named him John Doe, his teeth and any thing that could be used to identify him striped away. His burnt body was found early one morning by an unfortunate jogger and I had watched the news with delight, I had repaid him with a lesson that he would never forget. Dying had a way of creating that effect, dying meant that you only remembered the last few moments of your life and I knew that he remembered what happened that night with amazing clarity.

I sympathised with Athrun as he would be put through such treatment if he did not comply to my wishes, but I am a just man, I would give him a choice. A choice to follow or to suffer the consequences, it was not a bad chance. He would benefit from it, Athrun's talent should not be just the Representative's aid, he should be somebody like me. A person who has power and money, influence and respect. If everything goes down well, I might just make him my successor. If everything goes well.

**Kira**

Roy Kilburn's so called safe house is not a house. It is a mansion. It is large enough for a few football fields to be in it and I was surprised how he could have buried the ownership without anybody asking questions.

" You must be wondering how I have this."

I nodded in confirmation, no longer willing to waste time to beat around the bush. Roy had an uncanny ability to read my thoughts anyways.

" Old money. My grandfather was rich, my father even richer and I inherited everything." He waved his hands expansively around the whole building, "This was what I invested the money in."

" But, how? Don't you have any living relatives?"

" No. I'm the only one left of the Kilburn family. I'm actually surprised that you haven't heard of us. We were quite famous during olden days, especially before I was sent to prison. To whatever that had happened after….well, let's just say that money does a lot of things to people."

I looked at him puzzled, but was unwilling to inquire further. He was a man of many secrets and there were some things that were better off unasked. Let sleeping dogs lie they say and I was contented to do just that.

" So the phone call went down all right?"

" Yes, but aren't you afraid that the call would be traced? And how did you know that I knew what Athrun's phone number was?"

" Don't worry about the call, even if the traced it, they won't find it. I scrambled the signal so it's all right. The fact that you have loved Athrun so much, I wouldn't be surprised if you could rattle off facts that none of us knew much less his mobile phone number." Roy smiled at me and I gave a wry grin back.

" Where is this Devil's Incarnate?"

" It's not far from here, it's a pub and I happen to know the owner. He owes me a favour from long ago. He will let me use the rooms there for privacy, and he is a very discreet person. I trust him."

" Okay."

Roy turned away and walked up the winding staircase towards the second floor, he had mentioned that he was about to take a bath and have some rest before the big meeting and suggested that I do the same. I followed him up, admiring the infrastructure that was his safe house before he pointed me to a door second on my left and motioned that I use it. I opened the door and was greeted with plush floor carpeting, a four poster bed with exquisite furniture dotting the room here and there. Everything in this bedroom screamed of taste and money.

I walked in a daze towards the welcoming four poster bed, fur covered the whole surface of it and I could not resist the urge to run my fingers through the soft down. I looked around me, absorbing every detail and had a feeling that I had died and gone to heaven. It was such a sharp contrast from Hoxworth and being in this house, I was able to do the unbelievable. I was able to forget, to not remember the past three years, as funny as it sound, this house made me safe, it comforted me in ways nobody else could.

_Maybe except Athrun. Wouldn't he be thrilled to be here?_

I undressed as quickly as I could but not before I checked the wardrobes in the room. It spanned from the one wall to another and was filled with all kinds of styles, there were everything from a simple white cotton shirt to an elaborately made high collar black T, I imagined what it was to wear it and I touched the fabric, instantly falling in love with it. It was silky smooth and it was body hugging, I could not help but blush at the thought of Athrun's reaction when he sees me in this ensemble.

_What are you doing? Athrun's married._

_Shut up._

_Remember what Roy said, focus! _

_I know, please just a little imagination. _

_Don't say I didn't warn you._

I looked longingly at the black shirt and decided there and then I would wear it. I smiled happily and went about to do the stuff that I was supposed to do.

**Athrun**

I heard water dripping and rats scrambling about and I groggily wondered where I was. I tried to remember something about what had happened but nothing seemed to come back. I struggled to open my eyes but when I did it after some effort, I could see nothing except pitch black darkness. I moved my hand but found to my horror that I could not, clanking sounds that sounded so alike metal against stone could be heard. I tried moving my legs but gained the same result. I gave up after a few minutes in exhaustion as my body was still reacting to whatever that I had been given. But I had come to a conclusion that I was chained to a wall, spread-eagled and above ground. I strained my ears to listen to the sounds that were around me and I could hear distant footsteps.

" Help!" I shouted, trying my best to struggle enough to make the chains clank against each other. I intended to make a ruckus to attract attention. I was so caught up in my bid to escape that I did not notice the figure that was not far away till it spoke.

" Don't bother."

I stopped short at the voice, I could not believe my ears. " Cagalli?"

" Yes."

" How? Why? I thought…" I spluttered.

" She did this to you too, huh?"

" Who?"

" Somebody who looks incredibly like me."

" What do you mean? Weren't you back in the cottage with me?" I was taken aback by Cagalli's tone, it sounded dead and lifeless. It had not sounded like the Cagalli that I know.

" No. I was kidnapped and placed here before you came."

" Who did that?"

" The same lady who did this to you. I think it is my clone."

" Your clone? I don't understand."

Cagalli gave a bitter laugh before saying, " Remember our last conversation together Athrun? I told you that a woman had attacked me instead of Kira? Well I think, no I'm sure that that woman is involved in this whole scam somehow. She is the one who had brought me here."

" How can you prove that? I knew that I should have gone ahead with the surveillance cameras." I cursed under my breath.

" Athrun, you still don't get it do you? Why I didn't want security cameras?"

" Cagalli…"

" I'll tell you why. I didn't want to let others to see what a dismal marriage that I had, I did not want to have my miserable life recorded on tape, I did not want to be able to view the things that I had been through. I, no we lived an empty life, didn't you notice that Athrun? We were merely shells of ourselves, we were not even there. The house had been supposed to be filled with laughter, with joy. Instead it had been filled with tragedy, with hatred, with pain, I knew I had chose this road, but…Athrun it hurts so much. I tried so hard, I really did, I tried to change, I tried to do everything and would continue to do so if only you would stay by my side, but, I realised that no matter what I did, the place in your heart is never going to be occupied by me, it will always be Kira you would be thinking of. I wasn't even the lover after him, I am nothing."

I did not say anything, what could I say? Apologize? Explain? What do you do in situations like this? Especially in situations like this. I had chosen this path out of selfishness, purely for my own purpose, so what can I say? Nothing could remedy this situation, but I was somewhat saved by the opening of the door, but my saviour turned to be my worst nightmare.

" Hello Athrun, welcome back."

" Colonel Laws, you bastard!"


	5. I Want To Love You Forever

Oh the joy! I'm back! ( HUGE grin ) I'm really sorry about the delay, I was caught up with some things that had to be done. This would be the second last chappie to this whole fanfare and I hope that you guys out there would like it as much as I loved writing it. ( SMILE). Okay, a few points to remember before we get to the story okie?

1.Words in Italics would be as usual either thoughts of a certain person OR things that had happened in the past.

2.This chappie would contain certain graphics that would depict torture so just be prepared. Skip it if you don't like that part.

3.Once again a HUGE thank you to those who have reviewed, you know who you are and I hoped that you still like what I'm writing. It's really great having you guys as the audience. ( Sniff sniff) Do please continue to read my writing, I've tonnes of others in line, just waiting to come out IF the response is good. ( If this isn't a BIG enough hint, I don't know what else is.)

Kodoku Wolf :Thanks for reviewing, hope you like the this chappie.

HimeHikari : Thanks for reviewing too, (SMILE) I have a Cagalli and Athrun ficcie coming up, it's still in progress, so just bear with this one first ne?

Nevermore-amaya: You are great, thanks for reviwing every chappie. Hope this doesn't disappoint you. (Grin)

Cagalli Yula Athha : This ficcie focuses more on Cagalli, Athrun and Kira and their relationships between each other, but if you really want a definition of who is with who. Well the synopsis is, first Cagalli is with Athrun, Athrun married her then when the story progresses I hope I'm potraying successfully Athrun and Kira in the ending.

Oh well, that's about it, people, I present to you my newest and latest fic….

**Fallen Angel**

By : frost2light

**Colonel Laws**

" Hello Athrun, welcome back."

" Colonel Laws, you bastard!"

I watched in amusement as Athrun Zala strained against the metal that bound him helpless against the mouldy cell wall, his efforts all in vain. I was contented for him to exert himself while I waited patiently by the sidelines.

" You really are wasting your energy Athrun. " I said just for the fun of it. I knew that by doing so, by stating the obvious, Athrun Zala would renew his efforts and I was not disappointed. The clanging of metal against stone increased in it's intensity and Athrun's laboured breath could be heard accompanying it. " Why do you force yourself to reach something that you know you can't achieve? Why not listen to my proposition and ponder your options from there? Do you really intend to spend the rest of your life here?"

" Let us go!" He was not giving up.

" Come on Athurn, you should learn to accept the fate that is handed to you like our beloved Representative here."

" Let her go!" His tone was pleading now.

I let the silence fill the air, letting the trepidation hang as if I was actually considering letting Cagalli Yula Athha go and I had a smirk as I tool a deep breath before letting it go in a contented sigh before saying, " No."

Disbelief filled the air and hung over Athrun like a cloud, I could not help but grin at the obvious trap that he had fallen into and was very satisfied at the results of Clone Number Five.

" Why?" An angered question.

" Athrun Zala, why bother yourself with such minute details? Why not think of a way to escape? Think of the people that you would be able to save if you just asked the right question. Remember the date that you were supposed to keep with a certain person? A certain childhood friend who could have been so much more?"

Shock and disbelief tore the words that Athrun Zala wanted to spit at me away from him, his anger evaporating into thin air. A numbed look was plastered over his face and he started trembling uncontrollably at my last sentence which he tried hard to stop but couldn't. I could see that he was trying really hard not to give up, to not give in to despair, his efforts were appraisable but fruitless. Evidently, Kira Yamato was indeed precious to him, not even Cagalli who was his wife elicited this reaction. I knew then for sure that with Kira's death, Athrun would be thrown into a mental hell where it would be a locked room with no escape and no cure. Nobody would be able to save him from the mental torture that he would go through with Kira's demise. I smiled in triumph, one down, three more to go.

" You bastard! What do you intend to do with Kira!" This time it wasn't Athrun who spoke, it was Cagalli, Kira's twin.

" I see the Representative cares too. Why now, dear leader of Orb and why can't I do what you have so easily done to your own twin brother?"

" What do you intend to do with Kira?" Cagalli's voice was sharp as steel, her golden amber eyes glinting dangerously in the dimly lighted cell. I could not help but take a step back at the ferociousness in her gaze that even the darkness could not hide, the light of the lone torch that I had brought in earlier when I came lending it's fire to her eyes. I flicked my eyes towards the shackles that bind her to the wall for security, chiding myself at the stupidity of the sudden fear, feeling the confidence coming back.

" Very nicely asked, Representative." I chuckled. " Your husband here has just set the perfect trap for the capture and demise of that annoying pest of your twin." My voice grew cold and I could sense their rapt attention. " Kira Yamato and Roy Kilburn, another escapee from prison would be killed before the week is over. "

" What do you mean? You are lying." Athrun's voice trembled when he asked that question, but as minutes passed by, I could see the realisation dawning upon him that I did mean what I said and that he was the one who did ensnare Kira into my trap, his eyes were tortured and pained. " No…" he whispered choked with unsuppressed horror.

" I see you understand finally Athrun Zala, but it seems that the Representative here is still in the dark." I said smugly, intending for them to beg for more, the information about Kira Yamato a bone that I was dangling enticingly in front of their slobbering mouths.

" Explain yourself." The same haughty tone, the same arrogant gaze which held no fear, Cagalli Yula Athha is now a force to reckon with. It was ironic how the situation had changed, the male whom I had thought highly of was the one who was cowering in fear while the female who had been incapacitated with the loss of her husband was now able to challenge me with no fear whatsoever.

" What would you like to hear? That Kira's new found freedom would only last for another hour? Caught then tortured before death and hung in public as a public warning as to not mess with the Representative?"

" Why are you doing this?" Cagalli's voice was shrill with unsuppressed hatred. I had mistaken her strength, undermined her emotions when it came to family, I had threatened her loved one's safety and I knew there would be a price to pay if she ever got loose. However, as I shifted my gaze, the same could not be said about Athrun. Even though it was dim, I could see his body shivering in fright and I was deeply disappointed. I had hoped, no anticipated something more, a verbal fight with more zeal or at least something to get my heart pumping with excitement that would satisfy the urge in me. Alas, it was not to be, but I was compensated by Cagalli, the one person I had thought weak. I smiled and looked towards the blonde woman who had been like a whipped puppy when she first landed in this cell, the defeated air that surrounded her was to be expected, I did not blame her for feeling that way, it was a blow when you knew that your husband had somebody else and a even bigger blow if that person was not even female much less your twin brother. It was dreadful for somebody with no pride but a person like Cagalli? It was earth shattering.

" Why? Representative, the answer is dreadfully simple." I paused and spread my hands wide, " With a leader like you, Orb will never prosper! A country like Orb can never be without weaponry, it would be suicide. We are a small country, yet we prosper and power hungry people from the Earth Alliance or even Zaft would target our country and where would we be again? Refugees? Running away from our home? Representative, we have been through that, yet it seems that you have not learnt your lesson. However, with me as the one leading Orb, we would be able to not only defend our country, we would be able to advance! We would be able to conquer neighbouring weaklings, create a bigger empire, imagine the glory! Imagine your father's pride!"

" Who do you think you are? Do you really think that the people of Orb would ever listen to you? How dare you destroy my father's dreams! My father would never be happy if he knew about what you are about to do. He would have never done that. We violate no one and we join forces with no other. That is our principal!" Cagalli hissed though gritted teeth, her indignation apparent for the world to see. " No matter what you say and whatever excuse you use, I know there is something more that is motivating you to do what you are currently doing now, it's not about the people's safety, it's not even about anything remotely connected to Orb. It's your greed that becomes your motivation. You hunger, no you lust after power!"

I chuckled, smiling at the blonde woman who was panting after screaming so much at me, her eyes boring holes into my body with hatred. She was right, defending Orb was never my main reason, what have Orb ever done for me? I would abandon Orb in a second if I was ever offered something better, something more, something bigger! I cleared my throat before I opened my mouth to speak, " You are right Representative, I underestimated you intelligence and understanding of humanity. Orb has never been my first priority. What do I care about what happens to Orb? I care for my survival, my needs and what I need most is power! Power is the one thing that I was born into, craved for and succeeded so far in getting. You…." I pointed at Cagalli before continuing, " You are the one who is standing in my way. You and your idealistic way of thinking. How naïve could you be? The war before had been enough proof that peace is not a solution, total weapons demolition is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard! With weapons, the world's resources would be at our taking, imagine the riches, the wealth, the respect that people would give us!"

" You speak as if the people of Orb would listen to your craziness. The people here are one for peace, they have earned it! The reason why we prosper is because we are satisfied with what we have, we are contented! We have enough! Many people are here because of Orb's ideals, they want a life with no war, no fighting! They have suffered enough from the atrocities of the past! Why do you want to put them in such a bad situation! They have brains to think which is right and which is wrong, Colonel Laws, you cannot force them to do what they do not want!"

" What an inspiring speech Representative, but you are just that. All talk! And by the way, the people here would have no choice but to agree, because that's what Kira Yamato and Roy Kilburn would be used for…" I trailed off, enticing the both of them once again with the juicy red carrot.

" Kuso! What do you intend to do to my brother!"

" My my Representative, you shouldn't be using bad language, it's not appropriate for somebody with such a high status to use and weren't you listening? Never mind, I have all the time in the world to explain in detail what I'm about to do. You see, you or more specifically your clone would announce Orb's plan of expanding, and to enforce the rule of obeying, Kira Yamato and Roy Kilburn would be the lucky guinea pigs or sacrificial lambs that would be quartered and served to the crowd as a reminder that you, the Representative's order would be the final word, and if anybody dares to rebel or even try to escape their fate, well, certain things would happen to them. But, as you said, the citizens of Orb are not brainless people, I personally do not think that they would be stupid enough to go against their leader after that particular event of the public sacrifice, no?"

" You are a sick man Laws." Cagalli spat.

" I know, but after all, it was your father who taught me the tricks of the trade."

" Do not ever taint my father's image that way, he will never have done what you have so calmly suggested, the people of Orb will never believe that clone to be me. I have been advocating peace for so long, what would change my mind!"

" You are right, but that is something that I've already thought about. You see, Athrun Zala here _had _ a choice between living and dying before he showed such 'spirit' today." I looked in disgust at the slumped figure before continuing, " His disappearance would not be noticed as he would be sent away on a job to our neighbouring countries as a diplomat on business, foreign trade for instance. However, the people there would not greet him as expected and the poor Athrun here would meet an untimely end, assassinated by the people he was sent to deal with. Now the death of a loved one much less your husband, at the hands of rebels would indeed be a good reason for someone to change her ideals right? It would be only proper that revenge would be sought, not only for personal reasons but for political too."

" How long have you been planning this?"

" Funny you should ask, Representative. It had been quite a long time, maybe since the day your father chose you as the leader of Orb and not me."

" Why should he have chosen you? He was a wise man, the reason why he probably did not pick you was because he could see through your façade into your darkened soul. Who else is in this? Why doesn't anybody on the committee stop you?"

I looked pityingly at Cagalli, the sneer on my face growing wider each minute as I said, " Oh but the committee members are happy to let me do what I want. It's just not possible or wise to stop me unless they are willing to face Roy Kilburn's fate. Roy Kilburn is a courageous but stupid man, he was one of the loyal followers of your father, he really tried his best to save you, but as you can see through this unfortunate situation, he has not succeeded. He can't even save his life as I'm always one step ahead of him. Evil will always be smarter than the good. Yet, Representative, when you do get to meet him, do thank him for his effort. " I smiled patronizingly at the blonde woman.

" Are you going to kill me then?"

" That's a bold question Representative, do you really want to know the answer? Dying might be the best way out of this."

" Answer me Laws, are you going to kill me?"

Silence filled the room as everyone, including the coward Zala looked up with his empty green eyes to me while awaiting with bated breath for my answer. I willed myself not to smile, not to express any emotion for I wanted to observe the expressions on the both of them, their faces telling me what their mouths did not, as no matter how strong Cagalli acted or showed no fear, I could sense their desperation, their hopelessness, their feeling or despair. I wanted to cherish this moment, this sweet taste of victory for as long as I could.

" What would you want me to say?"

" That you would." Three simple words and I was stunned. I could not believe somebody could actually want their own death, it was unthinkable, it was frightening. I looked into her eyes, searching for weakness, any emotion that would tell me that she was lying, but there was none.

" Why?" I spluttered, enable to help myself, I wanted to know, the curiosity overwhelming me.

" Because I have nothing else to lose." Another simple answer, yet it puzzled me more.

" Don't you want to fight back against Kira? Don't you want Athrun back? Are you willing to give it up so easily?"

" Athrun? He has never been mine, and he never will be. I understand that now, it's been three years since I've been deluding myself of thoughts that he would finally acknowledge me as his rightful bride, the person in his heart and it's time for me to wake up. Fight? I want to, I have been doing so for the past three years, but this is a fight I cannot win as the opponent is invincible. Athrun would never accept me, he would love me, like a brother to a sister but never like a lover, that love is kept only for KIra. " Cagalli's voice was tired as she uttered those words.

" What about Orb? About your father's ideals?"

" Why are you asking questions that you already know that answer?"

" What do you mean?" I asked through narrowed eyes.

" You will kill me now, or regret that decision of not killing me when you could to the last of your life. When I regain my freedom, I will hunt you down. You shall become the prey that I will tear apart with nothing but my bare hands, this I promise you if you ever do anything to hurt either Kira or Orb."

I took a step back involuntarily at her words before regaining my composure and retorting, " Courageous words Representative, but that will remain what it is, just words. How would you ever get free? People close to you will die like flies because they love you. You are the one who are causing their deaths, blame only yourself and not me for their fate as it's because that you hold the seat of power that the others are going to die. First Kira then Athrun, you will be left alone rotting here in this dark stinky cell while I live my life to the fullest!"

" You will let her go!"

I looked in surprise at Athrun, at his hooded eyes and an inner voice told me that something was wrong. I squinted my eyes to see into the darkness that the lone torch could not brighten and was shocked to see that he was no longer bound to the wall. " How!" My mind shouted in panic as I whipped around in fear to the cell door in order to escape, I fumbled with the clasp and shouted loudly for the guards outside for reinforcement, I could hear Athrun's quickening footsteps and I shouted even louder. The cell was a small one and I knew within seconds that Athrun would be upon me, I turned away from the door, raising my hands to defend myself and all hell broke loose.

**Athrun**

I lunged from where I had been bound towards the man whom I hate with my entire soul and threw a punch that connected solidly with his upraised arms. He pushed away my arm with one of his own and tried to throw a punch with his other, leaving his midsection unguarded.

" Gotcha." I whispered under my breath and went for the opening. I ducked under his punching arm and with two hands as support on the ground I kicked as hard as I could into his stomach. I could hear his breath whoosh out of his lungs as he doubled over in pain and started retching.

" Never turn your back against your enemy." I whispered into Colonel Laws' ear as I planted the one thing that had freed me from the chains.

" How did you get away! You were bound directly to the wall!" Colonel Laws wheezed.

" By acting the coward that you think that I am. My body was trembling so violently of fear, don't you remember? I was trying to pick the lock at that time with the knife I carry with me all the time and I was bound but you made a mistake of letting me have a length of chain. It was very easy to use your own personality against you, I knew that by acting the cowardly fool, you would not focus your attention on me and Cagalli played her part very well. Her sense of observation is commendable, much better than yours Colonel. She noticed the glint and she knew what I was doing and she drew away your attention by talking to you, but in case you were wondering, her words are all true."

" I…I…"

" You don't get it? Well do you get it now?" I pushed the knife harder against Colonel Laws' body until he could tell what the object was.

The Colonel who barely got his breath back said, " So that's how you got away, I was careless."

" You underestimate everybody, Laws."

" It's Colonel."

" How can you still afford to be so pompous?" I dug the sharp end of the knife harder into Colonel Laws' skin and was satisfied when a red drop welled up.

" What do you intend to do Athrun? The guards here are all under me, what can you do against men with guns?" Colonel Laws waved his hands to indicate the men in position just right outside the partially opened door, the flimsy door and Colonel Laws' body was the only shield against the power of bullets for Cagalli and I.

" I should ask you that Colonel, what can your body do against men with guns?" The temptation to force the pick deeper was there, I was positioned that if I pushed upwards, I would put a hole in his heart and if I pushed lower, I would puncture one of his lungs, both injuries enough to kill. Just a little more pressure and I would have the satisfaction of one dead colonel, but I resisted. He had his uses still as he would be Cagalli's and mine ticket to freedom.

" You won't get away with this."

" Try me, Colonel. Now command your troops to close the door and step away or you'll end up losing everything." I pushed the pick harder into his flesh to enforce my words. Colonel Laws winced.

" Men. Step away. You heard him!" Colonel Laws shouted before saying under his breath to me, " You won't kill me, I still have my uses."

" You are right, but there are ways for a person to suffer before death, a gouged out eyeball, a few nicks here and there, you won't want to go through that do you? For your information, I'm quite well versed in torture as in close combat, it's a courtesy as a elite Zaft soldier in the past. Enough chit chat, free Cagalli."

" I do not have the key!" Laws shouted but I knew he was bluffing, I heard the jangle of keys when he came in before. I was surprised at his stupidity but I did not care as long as it fulfilled my purpose to save Cagalli and later Kira.

" Do you want to know what would happen if someone's Achilles tendon was cut? Imagine the pain and the helplessness, you won't want to be lame for the rest of your life do you? I would do it slowly too, you would feel the knife going in, digging deeper and deeper while your blood gushed out in red spurts, yet you won't die, not of blood loss nor of any serious internal damage and when I reach the tendon, you would know because all of your nerves would be screaming in pain, it's a …."

" Enough! The keys are in my left pocket! Take it!" Colonel Laws' breathing was rapid and I could see the sweat glimmering on his forehead before rolling down his face in small rivers. A little coaxing and the person's imagination would accomplish the rest. I grinned at the result, a feral grin, and commanded him to take the keys out of his pocket and both of us walked slowly towards Cagalli to free her.

Cagalli stood up and stretched gingerly, wincing as the blood circulation returned to her arms and legs. The whole process took a few seconds and the first thing that she did when everything was relatively normal, she slapped Colonel Laws.

" Bastard, you will regret this." Her eyes were sharp and vengeful as she stalked closer towards the trembling man.

" What do you want! You can't kill me yet, I still have my uses. The clone will only listen to me…" Another resounding slap rang through the cell and Colonel Laws' head whipped violently towards one side from the impact.

" What do we do now Athrun?"

" Walk behind me for now, stay in my cover, get it?" Cagalli nodded and the three of us forming a weird straight line with Colonel Laws in front and Cagalli at the rear walked out of the cell.

**Kira**

Devil's Incarnate is a bar, a place where grown, macho, muscled, violent men hung out, truckers, men with tattoos and long untamed hair with loud, brash women on their arms, a place which made me remember too much of the nightmares of the past - Hoxworth Prison without the women. Roy had insisted we came early to check out the place and as we walked warily into the crowd, I wrinkled my noise in distaste at the cigarette smoke that shrouded the room perpetually in a smoky haze. Yet, no matter the misgivings that I had about the place, I could not help but marvel at the ingenuity of the idea. Devil's Incarnate was what it's name implied, the place was filled to the brim with ex cons, that much was apparent as many of the tattoos that the men sported were serial numbers that implied jail time. I shuddered at the thought as I recalled the same brand that bonded me with them, number 78909.

" _I see you are the new inmate. Welcome." A cold grating voice spoke out loud from somewhere in the room._

_I looked around me in apprehension, noting the large cavernous space and the single roaring flame in the middle. As the flames danced about menacingly, it lit the rack that was conveniently beside it. My eyes could not comprehend what those funny looking sticks with numbers at the end were for, but a feeling of dread filled me as I knew somehow that I would find out even if I did not want to. My noise wrinkled at the distinct smell that filled the room, it was a combination of human excretion and the metallic stench of blood, simply put, the room had the smell of fear and terror._

" _I see that you noticed." The voice sounded nearer now and I tried to twist my head to see where it was coming from but was roughly yanked back to the front by the muscled bound guards that were standing beside me. The unknown man clapped twice and the sound reverberated, bouncing on and off the rounded walls as if a cue. Nothing happened for a moment and I stupidly thought that it really was a nightmare after all. But, the peace did not last as the guards frog marched me towards a reclining chair that had metal clasps at its arm and leg rests, it looked hideous and reeked of evil. Warning bells rang loud and clear in my head at the sight of that monstrosity and the animal survival instincts kicked in. I tried struggling, kicking and flailing wildly with fists, panic making me strike out without thinking, but the two men were seasoned guards and they overpowered me easily, one held me in a bear hug as the other punched me hard in the gut. The air rushed out from my lungs and they used that vulnerable moment to push me down into the uncomfortable hard chair and the four clicks sealed my fate. I lay there wheezing and vulnerable, trembling after that exertion and afraid of what would happen but stubborn enough to not beg. _

" _You are a young one. " The voice above me whispered and I looked. If I was not bound by the chair, I would have recoiled in horror, the man resembled the walking dead. He looked at me with one pale blue watery eye while the other was milky white and oozing something yellow from the wound directly below it. He wiped away the dribbling yellow pus and he grinned at my disgust._

" _I'm not exactly a handsome person, eh?" He said, and I did not know what to say. The metal clasps biting harshly into my skin as I tried to wriggle free. " Do not struggle, you won't be able to escape." The man walked away from me towards the rack that held the funny looking sticks._

" _What are you going to do?" I asked, trying very hard to keep my voice from wobbling, trying valiantly to subdue the crushing fear that I was currently feeling._

" _Did you know that Hoxworth Prison prides itself on these ten sticks?" The man mumbled as if to himself as he picked one up and fondled it lovingly, like a lover caressing his loved one. " These sticks represent the punishment that Hoxworth Prison likes itself to be known for, it's their idea of the ultimate degrading of a human being. Where other non exclusive prison uses tattoos, Hoxworth brands it's prisoners like cattle. It's the feeling of the hot metal burning it's symbol into your skin that would render even a grown man to tears, no more would you be the person you once were, your life, personality, memories would be erased with just those few moments, you will no longer have a name, you will just be a number. The brand will remind you for every second and every minute of the day of the sins that you have committed, and you will know that you deserved this." _

" _I did nothing wrong." I shouted, furious._

" _Oh but everyone who comes here would say the same, it does not matter to me for I'm just a person doing a job…" He trailed off before turning around, a mad glint in his eyes. He was holding a piece of paper and he held it close to the flames in order to read it. " 78909 huh." He turned back towards the rack and picked up four sticks and laid all of them on the raging flames. I watched in fascinated horror as the cool metal became burning red while the man stood by the furnace waiting patiently. He busied himself by polishing the other few sticks of metal and humming a toneless tune again and again and again while checking the furnace once every few seconds. He clucked his tongue in satisfaction after a few minutes and donned a pair of thick padded oven mitts before taking hold of the first metal stick and walking towards where I was strapped down._

" _Stay away from me!" I shouted, trying my hardest to escape the bonds that were holding me. The two guards grinned at the incoming torture and the prospect of using violence to subdue me. They nodded at each other before acting. One punched me in the gut again and the other ripped my left sleeve apart. The man holding the stick advanced and pressed the red hot metal hard onto my flesh and everything exploded into a white haze of pain. I could hear myself screaming, howling in pain, as my flesh sizzled and popped, the scent of my burning flesh mingling with the original smells of the room, I could feel myself hovering towards the edge of unconsciousness and was grateful for that reprieve. My last thought before I succumbed to the darkness was that I would be spared the horrors of the next few numbers and Athrun's face looking down on me telling me to be strong.._

A warm hand brought me back to the present and I looked up in gratitude, my right hand clutching my left subconsciously. Roy nodded to me in understanding and the uneasiness that filled me ebbed away a little. That day of the branding was one of the things that I would never forget, I had initially thought that I would be able to cheat the guards and that repulsive man of the joy of watching a person suffer but I was wrong. Dead wrong.

" _Welcome back." The man with the dead face said and the guards snickered in response. I spluttered as the cold water dripped desolately onto my body and some stray drops trickled down my face onto my arms. I nearly screamed again as one particular drop found the newly created wound and I strained my head in the direction of the pain and was shocked to see only one number there. My expression of horror brought more snickers and the man spoke again. " Did you think you could cheat us out of the joy of seeing people like you suffer? It's our only entertainment here child, you are not going get away that easy. We can afford all day you know, and it would be better for you if you bore it in one go, try not to faint next time. If not, it won't be water that would be waking you up the next time." _

" _What do you mean?" I croaked trying to postpone the inevitable. The only response the man gave me was a leery smile and a crooked finger pointing towards the two guards and as I looked away from one inhumane animal to the others I finally understood what the man left unsaid. Rape. The lust in the guards' eyes were very evident and I tried to smother a whimper. I could feel my resolve strengthening and I knew that I would do anything to prevent myself from being violated by these animals. _

" _Athrun, please give me the strength." I whispered in my heart and the torture went on. _

The cruelty of the people there who woke you up with cold water and branded you again and again till the last number while you screamed in pain and covered your own body with sweat, urine and vomit was something that will forever be embedded in my memory. I shuddered and willed myself not to think about the past anymore as I focused my gaze on my watch which said it was three minutes to two and felt momentarily happier at the prospect that I was going to be able to see Athrun again.

" Be alert." Roy whispered into my ear as we navigated our way into a small room right at the back of the bar. I was surprised that it would be empty but blocked the thought away as inconsequential, Roy's features were pinched and he was frowning, his body was tensed and I wondered what was wrong. I turned as to ask but a figure with blonde hair walking past caught my eye. She was wearing jeans and a white shirt, she walked with a familiar gait and I wondered where it was that I had seen it before.

" Cagalli?" My mind whispered, shocked, as the image of my twin superimposed itself on the girl's back, yet before I could do anything, the girl's hand waved once then twice and everything exploded into action in the club.

**Athrun**

I looked anxiously at my watch and hoped that I was not too late to save the situation, the guards back at the place we just left had strict orders not to follow and I hoped that no one would disobey those explicitly given commands. I had threatened them with Colonel Laws death and I knew that I would be glad to rid this world of one evil entity much less hesitate to kill. But now was not the time, I needed Laws as the back up plan if Kira was indeed in danger with the clone. Colonel Laws was right, he and only he could control the clone and I knew that I had no choice but to let him live before I knew Kira was safe. I had asked Cagalli to drive while I guarded Colonel Laws whom we had both bound and gagged before forcing into the backseat. I had swapped the knife for something with more range, a semiautomatic. Somehow I knew that the scene at Devil's Incarnate would require more than a knife and I had gained this semi-auto by force from one of the guards.

" Where next?" I heard Cagalli ask.

" Take the next exit and go up the ramp."

Cagalli nodded in acknowledgement and followed my directions, the scenery outside whizzing past in furious speed. Colonel Laws was mumbling something under his breath and I did not bother to listen, I blocked everything out except the desire to save the one person I should have saved a long time ago. The clone was a difficult one, I looked regretfully at Cagalli's back and wished that there was some way that I could keep her out of this. Not only would it be dangerous if she went in with me, it would be disastrous if both of them tried to act like the Representative.

" Cagalli, stay in the car later when you reach Devil's Incarnate. It'll be safer."

" No." A resolute sounding negative that tried my patience.

" Don't you understand! It'll be dangerous, extremely dangerous, I should have left you back at Orb or sent you to Lacus for your safety instead of dragging you with me on this."

" Kira's my brother Athrun." Four words that left no space for discussion but I had to try some more.

" What would the people of Orb do if something happened to you? I'm expendable, you are not. Don't be so headstrong, please go somewhere safe and leave the rest to me!"

" You need me, Athrun. You can't do this alone."

" I can and I will. You have to let me do this alone. Colonel Laws would exploit every weakness that we have, we cannot afford more mistakes."

" It's our mistake to have left the whole thing for so long, let the both of us try to atone the mistakes that we have done by doing this. Kira would understand what we are doing, he won't blame me for trying to save him. If I did not go now, I know I will regret this for the rest of my live. Athrun, please, I've so many things to regret now, please don't add another one more for me. Onegai?" Cagalli's gaze was unwavering as she drove, her determination clear and I knew that no matter what I said or did, she would follow me anyways. I did not know whether to feel relieved or distressed at the outcome, with Cagalli here, she could watch my back but the underside of the deal was, she was putting her life on the line unnecessarily. I sighed knowing that in the end, I would need her help in getting everything done.

" Where now?"

My train of thoughts broke by her question and when I looked my window to get my bearings I was shocked to see smoke, thick black smoke that spoke of a fire somewhere over the next hill. I exhaled sharply, my heart starting to race as an unwanted thought snuck past my defences and planted itself deeply in my brain.

_The smoke was where Devil's Incarnate was and it's five minutes past two._

" Cagalli! Step on it! Hurry!" I shouted and Cagalli once again did as she was told. I was thrown back into my seat as the sedan that we took accelerated towards our destination.

_Kira, please be all right._

**Kira**

I looked wildly around the burning ruins looking for Roy as men with guns fired all around. I was crouching behind an overturned table from the blast earlier and fingered the weapon that Roy had asked me to take before we left the mansion, grateful for that little security that it provided. The patrons of Devil Incarnate lay either dead or seriously wounded and the sounds of people groaning filled the air. The men that the clone had brought with her trooped in slowly from all directions and I wondered what I had to do to escape and to find Roy. Evidently this whole scenario reeked of a setup. I scanned my surroundings and was thankful for the cover the smoke and dust provided, yet cursing it for creating zero visibility for me too.

" Kira Yamato! If you value your friend's life, show yourself!" A woman's voice cut through the cacophony of groans to deliver it's shocking message.

" Kuso!" I cursed under my breath as I tried hard to pinpoint where her voice had come from.

" You are lying!" I shouted back as I moved from one hiding place to another, barely able to avoid a barrage of bullets as they found my location that I revealed after shouting. _I have to get to the top._ Devil's Incarnate had two floors and as my head whipped front and back to ensure my safety I caught sight of a staircase. I knew that my only chance of survival and saving Roy was if that I could get to higher ground because only then could I pinpoint how many men there were with the clone and whether the clone did really have Roy. I knew too that it was a risk that I had to take as firstly smoke travels upward and being on the second floor I would be soon choked by that black fumes and the fire was threatening to bring the roof down on us. Secondly, the men with Cagalli were professionals, they would be trained to cover all possibilities of escape and those stairs are one of them. I calculated my distance and the time that I would need to get to the second floor and ran like mad under the cover of the smoke. I reached the stairway and was immediately ambushed by two men. They circled me cautiously, gauging my strengths and weaknesses, and I apparently looked harmless as both of them smiled and went in for the kill. One tried to kick me in the ribs and the other aimed for my kidneys, I tried to manoeuvre myself out of their way but was hindered by the debris after that explosion, I ducked and kicked out my legs to trip the first man before dealing with the second who was a fraction slower, my instincts and Coordinator genes working hand in hand to accomplish the task of defeating men who were trained to kill. The second man could not stop his movement in time as I side stepped and punched him hard on the throat. He went down gagging and gasping, trying hard to breathe. The first lackey regained his balance and tried to whip out his gun but he was too late, I grabbed the hand that was holding the gun and shot him in the kneecap. I cursed myself for creating so much noise and did not bother to check whether the man was all right and with a burst of speed ran up the stairs. Two more met me on top and I dealt with them with as much efficiency as I dealt with the first two. I walked cautiously in the shadows that hid part of the corridor on the top and tried to observe what was happening down on the first floor. I cursed the smoke once again and the black clothing that the clone's men were wearing.

" Kira Yamato! I will count till three and in exchange for you, Roy Kilburn lives."

" Don't listen to her, kid!" A gun shot rang out and a shout of pain followed it. I recognized it as Roy's voice and this time I knew for sure that the clone did indeed have Roy as a hostage.

" Don't shoot! I'm coming!" I shouted, knowing that it was a trap but I did not see any other way. " Where are you, tell me where you are and I will come to you!"

" I'm not stupid, Kira!" The voice was moving and I knew that there was no way I could get to her in time.

" You said that in exchange of me, Roy lives, how am going to keep that part of a bargain if I don't know where you are?" I was moving around too, staying behind fallen chairs and tables, away from the second floor by now.

" That's a gamble that you have to take then. I'm starting the count now! One!"

" Kuso!" I cursed, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do, I shut my eyes trying to block out all other interferences and to focus on where they were. A grunt sounded on my left and I followed it, instincts telling me that it was Roy.

" Two!" Another grunt, this time to my right, I knew that I was getting nearer and retraced my steps. The clone was not moving much, just barely few steps here and there, Roy was dragging her down and I knew it.

" Three!"

" Exchange!" I shouted from behind the clone and she turned. I could not stop the shock as she smiled at me, looking so much like Cagalli and I was momentarily stunned, the clone used that few seconds to push Roy away and to aim at my heart before pulling the trigger.

" Kiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaa…..!"

**Athrun**

" Kiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaa…..!" Cagalli and I shouted in unison as both of us burst through the front of Devil's Incarnate and watched in horror as Kira fell backwards as if in slow motion, blood spraying from the wound on his chest, the red liquid blossoming and drenching the black T that he was wearing.

_I was too late._

I longed to run towards him but before I could go to his side, there was something that I had to do first. Get rid of the enemy. The clone looked up in surprise at both Cagalli and I and before she could react I drew out the semi automatic and shot her in her chest. I emptied the clip before I knew it in a haze of pure rage and came only to my senses when the gun clicked hollowly, I threw away the gun and ran towards the kneeling Cagalli and my fallen angel.

" Athrun! Do something! The blood just doesn't want to stop!" Cagalli looked at me in terror, her eyes pleading that I could do something to stench the flow. I pressed my palms into the wound, but the blood kept pumping out between my fingers, staining it red.

" Try the pressure points and somebody get this kid to the hospital!" A dishevelled man hobbled over, his right leg a mess.

" A…a..thrun?" Kira's voice trembled softly from below me and I turned towards his beautiful violet eyes.

" Shh…save your energy, you'll be okay!"

I watched him smile as he grew paler and paler, I could wait no longer and scooped him up into my arms, ignoring the screams of protest from Cagalli. I ran out outside of the burning building into a day which was slowly turning into night with the darkening skies that promised heavy rain, blinded by the tears that were brimming in my eyes. Kira's hand rose slowly, weakly and tried to stroke my worried face.

" Do..o..n't c..r..y." He whispered, his hand brushing away the tears while I blinked and tried to focus, the sedan that Cagalli and I drove in was still where we had left it. I had totally forgotten about Colonel Laws but he had evidently not forgotten me as he stood there untied and free while aiming the gun that I had tossed to Cagalli earlier on in his hands.

" You underestimated me this time Athrun," He sneered at me as he raised the knife that I had used to free myself from the chains with his other hand to indicate the way he had escaped.

" Get out of the way!" I shouted, my arms tightening it's hold on Kira.

" You spoilt my plan, and you think I would let you go so easily? No if I must go down, I want all of you to accompany me!" He took aim and grinned, finger poised at the trigger, his face a mask of pure hatred and evil as I knelt down as fast as I could to lay Kira on the ground behind of me, I knew that I was exposing my back but that was entirely the point. I wanted Colonel Laws' attention on me and not Kira, he has protected me and sacrificed for me too much and too long, this was the time that I did something for him, but, before I, anyone could react, Kira moved.

**Kira**

I watched in horror and anger as Colonel Laws, the man who had indicted Roy Kilburn unfairly, the man who had tried to kill my twin sister, the man who was the reason why I had been behind bars for the past three years, and the man who was pointing a gun at the person I love most, about to pull the trigger and a strength that I did not know existed allowed me to push myself from Athrun's embrace and into the path of the incoming bullet. I felt the bullet smash into me and I gasped, the pain of the new combining with the old, and my vision blurred and wavered.

" Kira?" Athrun whispered, his voice small and sounded so young and vulnerable that my heart bled for him.

" No more people getting hurt." I whispered as I forced myself to move towards the offending creature in front of me, ignoring the pain and forcing the blackness that threatened to overcome me away. I could see and hear the man curse out loud before cocking the trigger, preparing to fire for the second time and I shut my eyes.

_Just a little more. Just a few steps more._

The second bullet hit me and I stumbled back a few steps, the blood from my damaged internal organs filling my mouth with it's metallic taste. I coughed, choking on my own blood, panting with the exertion with just standing, yet I forced myself to not fall, to move forward, to continue to protect the man I loved.

" _I'm Kira Yamato, not number 78909. I am what I am and I will protect everybody."_

" Kira!" This time it was Cagalli's voice who called out my name and I prayed that I would have the power to protect her but I had no more strength to move. I stumbled as my vision darkened, blurring into nothings. I shook my head to clear it, but instead of clearing, it started to get worse, I could see the man about to pull the trigger for the third time and I willed myself to move but my strength finally failed me. I fell.

_I'm sorry…._

**Athun**

I watched immobile as Kira fell, my mind numb. His body hit the ground with a meaty thump, blood staining the green grass a vivid red while Colonel Laws laughed, an ugly harsh sound that filled my ears and created echoes in my brain while Cagalli screamed nearby. Roy Kilburn who had hobbled as fast as he could out of the building after hearing the gun shots watched aghast as his eyes registered the fallen boy, his expression twisting into a mask of pure rage as he whipped out the gun that he had brought with him for protection. He yelled, his voice hoarse with anger and genuine heartfelt loss of a good companion, and before Colonel Laws could do anything, Roy shot him twice in cold, calculating efficiency. Two accurate shots, one in the head and the other in the chest . The force of impact pushed Colonel Laws back and over the edge of the cliff that the sedan was parked nearby, his expression of shock frozen for eternity as he fell into the abyss below.

" The first was for my time in jail and the second was for taking out all evil." Roy shouted into the wind while I struggled to move, to breathe, to do something that could unfreeze myself but nothing that I did could erase those scenes of Kira protecting me like an angel with his wings outstretched, I could not forget those bullets as it entered his body, him bearing it without any hesitation, the images replaying itself again and again as I stood by doing nothing, helpless and useless.

" At..t…hru..n…" I heard Kira call out, his voice weak, his hand outstretched, trembling, searching for mine to hold on. My paralysis broke and I slumped down beside my fallen angel, dragging his wounded, limp body into a tight embrace, hugging him close, protecting him from nothing but the wind.

" Why?" I asked, a stupid question filled with pain and heartbreak. I knew the answer by heart yet still I blurted it out.

" Tell…tell…me….a…sweet….lie…" He gasped out, his eyes pleading me to say the things that I should have said so long ago.

I did not hesitate. "I want to love you forever." I whispered, eyes filling and brimming with unshed tears. His hand rose slowly but surely to dry it, his beautiful violet eyes closing gradually with every passing second. A soft brush and his hand fell with a thump, limp onto the hard ground, his mouth curved up into a smile.

I stayed in that position shocked, frozen to the world, numb. The pain in my chest amplifying with every passing minute, while the tears that had accumulated started rolling unbidden down my face, dripping one by one onto the ground. I bent down to brush a lock of Kira's brown hair away from his pale face before bending down to kiss him softly on the forehead, images of the past playing itself in my head. Finally when the hard reality finally hit and I could stand the pain no more, everything crumbled and time came to a halt. I looked upwards to the sky and howled, a horrible pitiful sound emitted by a wounded soul, a soul in pain, at the injustice of it all as the sky broke and cried with me.

" Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"


	6. Everything I Do, I Do For You

**I do not own Gundam Seed.**

Yeah! I live! I'm real sorry about this huge delay but this is the last chappie of this fanfiction...I sincerely hope that you would love it. ( smiles ). Okay a few things before I let you guys go..

1. Words in Italics are for things that had happened in the past, or the thoughts of that certain somenone.

2. A huge thanks to :

Spyrit Phoenyx : Man..you really gave me a fright.I thought you did not like my ficcie anymore...certainly hope you like the ending. Nevermore-Amaya : It's my last chappie of this ficcie..no doubt about it.Thanks a lot for your support. ( Grin )  
Kodoku Wolf : Hope you enjoy this last installment and the ending. ( smile )thanks for the review.

3. The title of this story do not belong to me, it belongs to an incredibly lovely song by urm..I can't really remember the name but do please NOT sue me.I'm as poor as a chruch mouse.

3. I'm currently about to work on a story with Dearkka and Yzak as the mains but it would take some time to form as at the moment I'm buried head deep in work. ugghhh..

4. Those who are interested in more Athrun and Kira pairings by me do take a look at "Returning Home."

and that's about what I had to say...welll on with the story! May I present to you...

**Everything I do, I do for you**

**Athrun Zala**

I floated in zero gravity, direction merely supported by the bar that was placed alongside the side of the ship that I was currently in. I nodded in response almost mechanically to the greetings that I received from the crew members of that ship Tatiana on my way towards my office that also served as my quarters. The sliding door opened almost immediately after I confirmed both my password and fingerprint access and I floated in. My quarters were equipped with the technology that provided artificial gravity and I was able to sink my feet onto the plush carpet that covered the floor. I walked towards my worktable, commanded my computer absentmindedly for it to activate, and slipped into the chair that was in front it. I swivelled around to stare out the window into nothingness and allowed my mind to run away with the thoughts that had not ceased since this morning. I was in a weird reflective mood, something that I was not since the past two years. If I were true to myself, I would admit freely that I had shut my emotions and locked it away into the deep dark recesses of my being for further safekeeping, collecting dust, but I was never once true to myself anyway and so I had put on a brave front and pretended nothing was wrong. The ever cool and collected Athrun Zala. A certain memory passed though my mind and my lips curled up sardonically at my past self.

" _Athrun, you have to eat something. You haven't eaten anything for days!" Lacus Clyne's musical voice floated into my ears as I lay immovable on the bed that had once been Kira's. _

" _Go away." I whispered, my voice hoarse, both from the lack of food and water and the amount of crying that I had been doing for the past few days as another wave of heart wrenching pain swept through me._

" _He wouldn't want to see you like this." Lacus continued, unwilling to give up until she reached her goal. I frowned at her insistence and likened her to an annoying buzzing fly that tempted me very much to slap away, but dismissed the notion as that would require me to get away from the place that I felt nearest to Kira. I responded by burying myself deeper into the bedcovers and drew in a deep breath, trying hard to catch Kira's scent and was rewarded by that familiar natural tinge that surrounded him._

" _Stop acting as if you're the only one who is hurt! He wouldn't want you to feel this way, that is why…"_

"_Shut up!" I shouted, my eyes wild, my facial expression ferocious. I did not want to hear the words that she was about to say, that I knew she would say. I stared hard into her grey eyes but in the end, it was I who looked away. _

" _What I say is true and you know it! You can continue being this way, living with only his memory or…"_

" _Shut up!" I shouted again, getting more and more flustered by the minute. _

" _Face up to the facts Athrun Zala, you can do what you want and suffer here all alone or you could do what you were supposed to do in the first place. It's your choice. The resources are there for you to use and no one is about to say anything to stop you. It is you who is stopping yourself now, I know what you are thinking, that he betrayed you by leaving but you are wrong. Find out the truth, trust your instincts." With that she walked out the door, leaving me alone in a room that held only painful memories._

My computer chirped, signalling that I had a message and I glanced irritated at the screen. It had been two years since the shooting and one year and a half since I had made up my mind to do what Lacus knew I would do in the end. Cagalli had expressed her gratitude at the change of attitude and heart when I had turned up at the Orb administration building that one fine day and volunteered my services to get back into the administrative side of things. She is the daughter that the Lion of Orb would be proud to have. She had risen towards the challenge of replacing and rebuilding what had seemed irreparable to the council, changed the existing members without much fuss, ignoring the rumours that flew about viciously and full heartedly threatened to dismiss anyone who spoke anything about that fateful day. General Laws was given a hero's burial, saying something about him saving the day and sacrificing himself in exchange, it was distasteful but it had to be done. The politicians were appeased and they generated very little fuss. The old members of the council were relieved to have escape with little harm especially Anders. It had been a smart move and Cagalli had Roy Kilburn to thank. He was charming, ruthless and dangerous, but nobody could fault the way he did things.

" Sir, the Representative's on line three. Should I connect?"

" Yes. Thank you."

The screen flickered as the man's face disappeared and was replaced by the serious one of Cagalli's. She had indeed grown from the experience, her face wore the weariness of someone who had seen and known too much, but her resilience and maturity had indeed never ceased to amaze me. Her impulsive streak and wild nature had toned down considerably, only showing itself in the impatient way she held herself when incompetent people came her way.

" Yes, Cagalli. What can I do for you?" I had called her Representative once and she had glared at me so viciously that I dared not venture down that path again.

" Any luck?"

" No." My face registered no emotion but Cagalli knew me too well to be lied to.

" You have searched that faction?"

" Yes, but nothing registered."

" Kuso!" She cursed out loud. It had been too long and the search was proving fruitless.

" What do you think?"

" He's not there."

" He can't have moved so far away and on such a short notice too."

" I don't think he is working alone."

" I understand what you mean, there seems to be somebody on the inside passing him information, he can't be doing this alone, any idea who is behind this?"

" I have a theory but I do not want to point any fingers without further confirmation."

" All right. Do what you have to do." Cagalli smiled once before signing off and I stood up and headed to the room at the end of the corridor.

**Roy Kilburn**

I raised the glass in a mock toast to the computer screen which showed a partially hidden boy and he smiled. " Congratulations in avoiding contact. But when do you plan to stop?"

" It's not up to me, you know that." The boy in the shadows replied, his voice wistful.

"I know, but you are driving everybody here crazy and they would notice that I'm the one who has been helping you escape detection all this while, Athrun is not that stupid."

" I understand, but it really is not the time. If he does not realise it on his own where I'm heading, then it was not meant to be, that he does not understand me as well as I hoped him to."

" You are one of the craziest person I ever knew."

" I know."

" Fine, I'll help you just these few more times, and please do yourself a favour and stop acting so mysterious, it really is not you."

The partially hidden boy chuckled and emerged from the shadows, smiled at me and disconnected the call.

" Kira…" A strangled whispered reached my ears and I swirled around in shock and surprise.

" You!" I said surprise mingling with shock before I forced myself to calm down. I shrugged inwardly and knew that the cat was out of the bag.

" How could you!"

" I think you should calm down before I start explaining myself, Athrun."

" How do you think I should calm down! That the person I had been searching for one and a half years have been in contact with you and you have not said a single word! How do you expect me to calm down!

" What do you want me to say?"

" You better start from the beginning Roy, and please do yourself a favour and leave nothing out." Athrun's green eyes glinted dangerously and yet I felt no fear, he would do me no harm and I felt the thrill of the challenge. I would enjoy this greatly.

" Well do take a seat, it would be a long story indeed."

" _He's gone!" I heard somebody shout, the voice sounded incredibly familiar and I hobbled as fast as I could towards the source, ignoring the pain that reminded me of the injury at the hands of the evil clone._

" _Sir! Please you have to calm down!" The motherly figure who was the head nurse on this level tried to hold on to a near hysterical Athrun Zala. _

" _What's going on?" I opened my mouth to ask._

" _Kira's gone! He's gone!" _

" _What do you mean?" My eyes narrowing at the nurse and I could see her shudder._

" _Kira Yamato was found missing by this gentleman about half an hour ago and we have been searching the grounds since."_

" _He couldn't have gone far, he couldn't have even moved!" Athrun's voice was disbelieving, frantic._

" _He's right, Kira was wounded seriously, he is a Coordinator but not even Coordinators could have that much of a healing ability."_

" _That is where you are wrong." The head nurse said, shaking her head while her voice registered amazement and disbelief at the fact that she herself had witnessed the past few weeks. " His wounds had healed fast and just yesterday, scar tissue had formed and the internal injuries that he had sustained during that shootout was gone. It was as if his cells had regenerated themselves in a short period to make up for the damage that had been caused."_

" _I don't understand, if that is what you mean, why is that he was still unconscious all this while? He should have been up and about if his injuries were healed and why did the hospital keep him in the intensive care unit? And how pray could you please tell me that he managed to get past two guards that had been put for his safety and escaped through their vigilance without being detected?"_

" _Mr Zala, I cannot explain how he had healed that fast nor the way he escaped detection but I can say that the hospital was curious and had kept him in the intensive care unit this long to observe his condition. Maybe he stayed unconscious all this time as a response to his body trying to regenerate itself to conserve energy and to apply it to that sense. We have no known medical records of him and seeing what he just did, do you know what this could mean to science? The people that could have been healed if we just know what made Mr Yamoto ticked? How his genetics worked? We needed to know!" _

" _How could you! You kept him like a lab rabbit for further observation!" Athrun Zala was close to violence and the nurse knew it as she backed away with fear written all over her face. I did not pity her nor sympathize with her as she too had made me angry. It was unethical for them to have done what they had just did no matter how advantageous it is to mankind. I smirked at the head nurse and watched in amusement as she scurried away like a dog with it's tail between it's legs._

" _Don't just stand there, help me find him! We have to get rid of the medical records too." Athrun Zala snapped at me as I raised my eyebrows._

" _Excuse me but I'm not in the condition to be running around just yet if you haven't noticed." I said, wanting to see the man that both Kira and Cagalli had loved being riled up. I knew that was quite irresponsible of me and I was indeed worried about Kira but I had to judge for myself why this man, who I had to admit looked incredibly good and fit, was the cause of so much pain and loss for the two people that I had admired and liked._

" _Look, Roy, please, you have no idea what people would do to Kira if they find out that he is the Ultimate Coordinator, he's not safe here, don't waste the time that we can use to find him. Please. You don't want to see him turn into a lab rat for the good of mankind right?" I grimaced at Athrun's last words but it certainly was effective, the image of Kira being hooked up to machines surrounded by smirking, evil - looking scientists which prodded and probed at him, was something I would not like to see come true._

" _Fine, I'll help. What do you want me to do? I can't go far, so maybe you should be the one doing the ground search while I get the records."_

_Athrun looked at me, nodded before turning away and rushing down to join the search for his lover while I watched his receding back, contemplating my moves. I hobbled down the corridor and not for the first time wished that I had Kira's healing abilities. _

" _Roy.." A whisper called out my name and I paused in my steps, my eyes scanning the surroundings warily. _

" _Roy.." The voice whispered again and I recognized it the second time around._

" _Kira?" I hobbled towards the source and was not surprised to see the boy that everybody was searching for. " What the hell are you thinking!" I whispered furiously back._

" _Shh… Let's go to a better place, you able to walk with that leg?" He asked, his eyes filled with concern, and I grunted back as a response._

" _Don't worry about me, you have a lot of explaining to do." _

_Both of us wound through the corridors, hid behind doors not unlike those starring in spy movies, just to avoid being caught by the people who were looking high and low for Kira. _

" _How far is it now? Where are we going by the way?" I could not help but ask, we had been walking for quite some time and though I knew that Kira was afraid of being caught, I could not afford to move much longer._

" _Here." He gestured to a door and both of us went in. The room was dark and I had to spend some time getting used to it. I narrowed my eyes, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me as I could discern a human figure in front of us and before I could warn Kira, the shape spoke. _

" _Hello, Roy Kilbrun. I've heard quite a lot about you." The figure spoke, her voice lilting and pleasant to the ear._

" _Lacus Clyne?" I said, unable to keep the shock and surprise at her presence. " What? Kira what is going on?"_

" _Do not worry Mr Kilburn, there is no danger here. Please, take a seat, my apologies for making you walk so long and far just to make it here. I'll explain everything later and it would be could tiring for you to stand while I speak." Lacus said while she gestured to a chair directly in front of her that had been prepared in advance and I slipped into it gratefully._

" _Thank you. Now what is it that you were about to tell me?"_

" _Firstly I would like to convey my sincerest gratitude for protecting my friends especially Kira Yamato…" At this, I opened my mouth wanting to protest but she held up a slim hand to stop me. " Do not blame yourself about what had happened as it was really unexpected, there are times when a person is able to do so much and what you did was all that you could do and for this I thank you." She paused, waiting for anything that I might say but when I did not she smiled and continued, " I know what you are thinking, why am I here? And what has this to do with Kira, am I right?"_

" _Yes, and I would like some explanations as there are people who are quite worried about the well being of Kira's." I directed a pointed look at Kira who was standing hidden partially in the shadows behind Lacus and whom had the decency to blush._

" _I presume that you are talking about Athrun Zala?" _

" _Yes, you do know about their relationship right?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Then why is it that you want to cause all this trouble? Does Cagalli know about this?"_

" _Trouble? Well, if you do put it that way, I'm causing trouble." She said thoughtfully, her head cocked slightly to one side, pink – chan hopping silently on her left, yet as she did all those movements, her eyes never left mine._

" _Please, Miss Clyne, I'm sure you are not here to waste anybody's time, I still have a job to do, and that is as a favour for Athrun Zala."_

" _Kira's medical records? Do not worry about that, I have it covered. No one shall know his secret nor would anyone be able to misuse it and that you have my assurances."_

" _You seem to be able read my mind, know my thoughts. An ability of yours?" I hated to admit that I was uncomfortable but with Lacus's unwavering gaze I felt myself getting more and more nervous as the time passed by._

" _No, but I do have the ability to understand people better than others. But, I shall not waste more time talking about unnecessary stuff and the main purpose I'm here is to take Kira away. The reason why you are here sitting in front of us is on his request to inform you beforehand though regretfully through this sneaky way."_

" _What do you mean that you are taking him away? He can't just check himself out. He's not even fully healed!" _

" _I understand your concern and we appreciate it but I do know you do comprehend the reason why we can't stay."_

" _Kira, say something! Is this what you really want?" I turned my attention towards the silent boy to demand some answers._

" _Yes." He said quietly."_

" _But why? Why are you running away? Don't you want to be here with Athrun? Don't you want to settle everything? You are just using this as an excuse to go!" Kira looked away and I continued to glare at him, I could not believe this kid was going to run away again after what he had been through. I thought I knew him, but it turned out that I did not._

" _I'm sorry." He whispered, his voice ragged as if he was crying but I could not see._

" _Why you telling me this? Shouldn't you explain what you are doing to Athrun instead? Are you going to go away forever? What the hell are you telling me for!" I was frustrated and it showed in both my facial expressions and my voice._

" _I understand that you are upset but please do try to keep your voice down, we are not totally invulnerable here." Lacus said, her voice as still and calm as before, it irritated me for some reason that I could not understand and I focused my attention at her._

" _Why are you helping him run away? Don't you understand that problems cannot be solved by turning tail and escaping!"_

" _What Kira decides is none of my business but he is my friend and a close one at that so it is not a surprise that I will respect his wishes. I may not agree with what he is about to do but I have done what I can to prevent this happening and since I could not stop it, I might as well supervise it."_

_I looked agape at the pink haired woman in front me and for the first time in years, I did not know what to say. A saying materialized unbidden in my head, as absurd as it seems, it was right in this situation, " If you can't stop them, join them." _

" _You are totally nuts do you know that? So why are you telling me? So I could play this sick game with you?" I snapped at Kira who cringed at my sarcasm, and it was no wonder who answered the question. I had a feeling that Kira had grown mute all of a sudden and was merely a shadow in the dark. I hated this Kira and wished fervently that Athrun Zala had never existed, I knew it was an absurd blame but because of that man, a boy who was a war hero became like a woman._

" _You are to act as the bridge between the two of them. If they were to meet again, it will be fate, if not, then I shall not need to explain the consequences."_

" _What do you mean bridge? What do you mean I shall understand the consequences? Hello! If everything was up to fate, then everybody would be dead with hunger or some malady." I scoffed at what Lacus had said, it was pure stupidity._

" _You shall just keep an eye on Athrun, that's all. Kira would be in contact with you constantly, his location, his well being, everything to keep you from worrying not to mention that you would be the one who would convey what Kira wants you to Athrun."_

" _You must be kidding me, do you know what that makes me? I'm not a messenger boy thank you very much."_

" _Roy, you want the real explanation? You may think that I'm running away, well maybe I'm but can you think of the consequences of what Cagalli would be facing? Athrun is her husband! I can't just barge in one day free from jail and have Athrun as my lover. Think about the scandal especially after this whole fiasco about General Laws. Do you know what this would do to her reputation? To Athrun's reputation? They have jobs to do, they are the leaders of Orb, and no matter how much I would like to follow my heart or instincts, there are strong reasons on why I have to go." _

_Silence filled the room as Kira ended his speech, I stared at him, understanding finally dawning upon me, I had merely focused on the tree instead of the forest and had nearly capsized what Cagalli had worked so hard to achieve these past few weeks. I smirked to myself and knew then I really did not understand Kira at all._

" _I see, why didn't you tell me earlier instead of spinning that stupid story about fate and consequences?"_

" _That was not his fault, I needed to know what type of person you were." Lacus said and smiled again, and I could feel myself shudder. She had something of a she – wolf expression on her face and I was certainly glad that I was on her side. I did not want her as an enemy, she might look like a beautiful harmless woman, but that's when they are really dangerous. Looks are deceiving and anybody who perceived Lacus Clyne harmless would be caught in a trap and still would never know what hit them._

" _I see, so what am I supposed to do?"_

" _Pass on information."_

" _That's all? Athrun is not a stupid man, he would cotton on that something is wrong somewhere and what if he persists in finding you? What do you intend to do then?"_

" _I will tell you when it is time to reveal where I'm, but I was hoping that he would be able to guess where I would be going even if you did not tell him."_

" _So you would be at this place and I'm needed to pass on false information about where you are to him, am I right?"_

" _Yes, that's basically what you have to do. I'm really sorry to have involved you in this, but I hope you understand why I'm doing this." Kira said, his voice soft, but at least now I was able to look at his features._

" _Yes, and I can't say that I will not enjoy this game, now that I'm in it. I would like to see him squirm a bit." I said a little slyly, eliciting a glare from Kira, but he smiled at the end. _

" _Thank you. I hope that Cagalli and Athrun would be able to settle what they have not in the time that I'm gone." Kira's said, his voice sad and I felt my heart go out to him. He was forever sacrificing his own happiness for others and I wondered whether if it was worth it, but I was not about to say anything as Lacus had pointed out before, it was his decision and I was only able to help from the sidelines._

**Athrun Zala**

" That's it! You let him go on that reason?"

" Isn't it enough? You have had all this time but what have you done to improve the situation? You won't be able to find him if you insist on being this stupid!" Roy shouted at me and I could feel my vision going red with the anger that threatened to burst out.

" Stupid! What do you mean by that? I have been searching for him high and low and all this while you knew where he is and you refused to tell us while you passed on fake information about his whereabouts. Do you know how much time and money you have wasted on this futile search?"

" Futile! You are telling me it's futile! If you had used your brain earlier and done what you had to do, don't you think you'd be able to find him earlier? Hasn't anything I said gone into that stagnant brain of yours! Kira left because he knew he had to! You are married to Cagalli for goodness sake, she's this country's Representative, leader! How would the people react when they know about this whole scandal? There were parts that were omitted for the sake of you and her. And you are blaming all this on me? What have you done to improve the situation! You are still married to Cagalli for that matter. Do you intend to take Kira as your mistress and have your little getaways when you are not with Cagalli? Have you ever thought about what that would do to the both of them? God, you haven't changed a bit, you selfish son of a bitch."

I cursed and swirled around to punch the wall behind me. I felt my knuckles swell at the impact but welcomed the pain, I knew that what Roy said was true, and no matter how much my brain tried to think of excuses to combat what he had just said, I could not come up with any and the more I thought about it the more I hated myself.

_You had done nothing all this while even though you thought that by deploying ships and troops in the name of searching for a war hero you were doing Kira a favour by finding him. You thought that he would be grateful once you found him and he would fall into your arms and the both of you would happily ever after. Roy is right, you are a selfish bastard._

_Shut up! _

_It's time for you to face up the facts, maybe you don't really love KIra that much._

_Shut up!_

I punched the wall again and was rewarded with more pain and blood." Kuso! Kuso! Kuso!" Something hot and warm slipped down both my cheeks and I did not even bother to brush them away.

" It's not too late." Roy said gruffly before turning away and walking out the door leaving me alone with nothing but my personal demons.

**Roy Kilburn**

" The cat is out of the bag." I said first thing when Lacus appeared on my communication screen.

" I see."

It was exactly three hours after the confrontation with Athrun and I was tired, exhausted emotionally. I did not know what he would do after the whole fiasco but I hoped that it would put an end to everything, Cagalli no matter how strong she was was hurting terribly inside and it showed in the way she tried to bury herself this past year in her work. She seldom went home anymore and spent the nights holed up in her temporary quarters trying to forget the past. I did not want to see her suffer anymore and the only option left was to shove Athrun into action. If it had to hurt, it might as well be done earlier. I had not envisioned this scene but there were times where decisions, especially right decisions, were incredibly hard to make as there was no clear line of right and wrong to help a person. What was morally right in this case? By doing what I had this afternoon I was encouraging a man to file for divorce with his wife and by making that decision a year ago to keep Kira's location a secret I had been wasting precious time and resource in a venue that did not need any not to mention making Cagalli worry about her brother's whereabouts. I sighed and I did not bother to hide it from the woman that I was talking to, it was no point, she understood me too well.

" I see this event is troubling you much. Do not worry, everything would turn out just fine. There is just as much as we could do." She said, her voice betraying no emotion as she smiled that calm smile of hers while Pink – chan leaped and hopped by her side.

" Why is it that you are not worried about the consequences?" I asked her, my curiosity piqued.

" Is there anything worse that could happen to these three?" Lacus asked, her voice matter a fact.

" No. I guess not." I said as I thought back about the past, there really was not anything that could be worse than having a loved one face death. " What do we do about this? What would be our next step? Is there any need to continue?"

" No, now it's their time. We have done our share. Kira's location is safe?"

" Yes."

" Good. Well then, it was a pleasure doing business with you." Lacus said with a slight smile on her face before she signed off. I leaned back into the chair and surveyed the damage that Athrun had caused to my office – two deep dents in the wall which had blood stains peppering the sides of it. I sighed and shook my head, he had wonderful strength that boy, and I wondered how much it would cost me to repair and clean up the damage. But on second thought, maybe I should just send the bill to Athrun, after all he was the cause of it all. I smirked to myself and without giving the whole situation another thought settled into my daily job requirements.

**Cagalli Yula Athha**

I stared long and hard into the eyes of the man I once loved, still loved in fact and knew then that the time had come to let my dreams go.

" We need to talk." Four simple words but the power behind those words were not something to ignore.

" Shall we set a time and place to meet instead?"

" Yes."

" Your shuttle would be coming in a day's time, let's set the meeting the day after, is that appropriate?" I asked, not knowing where this superhuman strength or resolve was coming from that kept me from crying.

" I'm really sorry Cagalli." Athrun's voice softened perceptibly and I looked away, unable to look at him knowing that it would soon be the last.

" Our house, three o'clock."

" Okay. " And before Athrun could utter another word I had disconnected the call. I stared at the blank screen in front of me and felt my vision blur, work did indeed take one's mind off some things but it was just temporary. When the pain and thoughts snuck back upon you when you were unguarded and vulnerable, it would hurt so much more. There was nothing that could erase that pain of loss, the feeling of sadness when you were forced to watch your loved one walk away from you. There was a time when I thought I had been able to say I'll be able to cope, I knew that I could but that was beside the point. I wished that I did not need to cope, that I would have somebody to come home to, but now, there was nobody, nothing that was left here. I had friends, loyal supporters, my country but I was a selfish person and I had nobody who could be the one that stood beside me through thick and thin, that special someone whom I would love with all my heart. I thought I had it once but it was all a lie, during the time in prison when General Laws had captured both Athrun and I, I remembered vividly what I had said, it seemed so easy at that time, but that was after all what General Laws said it was, words, pure theoretical words, nothing more and nothing less. Words could not convey what it was to feel, words are never able to truly comfort a person. Words were just alphabets combined together to form things that meant nothing in real life, they did not help at all. But, no matter how I felt, it was undeniable that I loved Athrun, and love was after all doing whatever it was for the other to be happy, and I pray that I would have that kind of strength to do what I had to do. I blinked back the hot tears, it was time to be strong again, to be the one what one expected me to be and that was to be alone, but it was hard. It is hard to know that you are not needed in this world.

**Athrun Zala**

I watched Cagalli walk slowly towards me and I did not know what I was supposed to feel towards the woman who had loved me so unconditionally. There was nothing that could ease the pain for her that I know that I would cause, there was no balm for this type of emotional wound, not even time could fully heal it and I wondered why she came at all.

" Cagalli." I greeted her and as I looked at her, I was struck by how thin and frail she seemed since the first time I met her.

" Athrun." Her voice was soft and I caught a waver in it.

" Shall we go in?"

Cagalli looked at me and she shook her head, declining that suggestion and instead, she suggested that we were to take a walk and without much hesitation I agreed. I understood her reason behind the request and if I could do that to ease the pain a little, I would. Both of us walked side by side in silence through the scenic forest, the place that both of us had tried to live together, to build something that should have lasted but in reality we had tried to live out a lie. The lake was glittering and shimmering like jewels under the sun in the distance. The air was crisp and fresh and birds were still singing odd notes here and there just to let us know that we were not alone. We spent the next few minutes hiking up the trail where it would lead to the top of the cliff and both of us had not broken the silence yet. Soon, we were where we wanted to be and it was then did she face me.

" I know why you are here, so we might as well get on with it." She said and I flinched at her words, her forced pretence of strength.

" Cagalli, you.."

" Athrun, please don't make this harder for me, so please just say what you want to say and let me hurt in peace, please?" Her eyes were wet now and they begged for me to finish what I had started. I paused for a moment and finally did what I had been supposed to do all this time but could not. I walked towards her and pulled her into my arms, hugging her close, this one movement said everything and nothing. I watched her struggle with herself before melting into my embrace and weeping her heart out. My heart bled with hers, this was hard on me too.

" I still love you, no matter how hard I tell myself not to. I hated Kira, I envied him. I hated you, yet I loved you more still. But through it all, I hated myself the most for letting Kira go to jail, letting him suffer there, nothing I do in the future would ever give him back his past but…" She trailed off before she continuing, " But, I hope that you would understand why I did what I did. Love is a double – edged sword, it makes you do things that normal sane people would never do and I blame no one but myself for all the things that had happened in the past, no matter what you say, no matter what your decision is, I know that I will love you, always and forever. I doubt that I would ever be able to stop, I wish I could and I know it's time for me to let go, to get on with my life and you with yours. I wish Kira and you all the happiness in the world, it's hard to watch you go, but promise that you would remember me once in a while?"

" Cagalli…" I whispered as I stroke her hair, wanting nothing but to comfort her as I felt my eyes blur with tears too. " I promise and thank you."

**Cagalli Yula Athha**

" Cagalli…" Athrun whispered as he stroke my hair, "I promise. Thank you." I could feel my heart breaking into a million pieces as he said those two words. It was final. He was leaving. There was no more turning back at this cross roads.

Both of us stood there for a long time and when we stepped apart, I forced myself to give Athrun a weak smile to show that I was all right and as I stood in front of him, I drank in all that was there. His beautiful emerald eyes who would look at no one but Kira, his mouth who would kiss no one but Kira, his heart that would have no one but Kira, How I wished at that moment I could be Kira and the words that Athrun spoke to Kira were to be spoken to me and I felt my heart break into a trillion more pieces. I forced myself to burn his image into my heart and brain for remembrance before turning away to walk away, the sun shinning down upon the both of us when I wished that there were rain to mask the runaway tears.

" Cagalli.." He called as I strode away with my head held high but as tears continued streaming down my pale face, I wished fervently to be able to turn around, to run back into his arms and to have him hold me like he did just now, to know that those arms would protect me no matter what, when, where and place, to stop the time that flowed past so fast in order to maintain that one memory of his hug. I wanted to take forever to love him, to stay in that moment, to give him all the love that I had and never leave his side. However hard my heart yearned for those things, I held on and ignored him and walked on alone.

_Everything I do, I do it for you. Good bye, Athrun._

**Kira Yamato**

" An explosion in space occurred just this morning and Athrun Zala, right hand man of Cagalli Yula Athha, Representative of Orb is suspected to be on that aircraft along with seven other men." A resounding crash echoed throughout the room as the bowl that I was carrying towards the kitchen dropped onto the tiled floor when I heard that particular news. I could not have cared less about the mess as I rushed towards the television to tune up the volume and watched in mute horror as the news replayed the footage of a spacecraft blowing up again and again. Soon, the images changed and the newscaster was back with that fake expression of sadness on his abnormally handsome face, his mouth moved to continue with the news but nothing he said registered in my brain and when the image of Cagalli came on, I was shocked to see her so broken. Her eyes were red and puffy and any doubts about Athrun's death flew out the window, there were ways to pretend but the Cagalli I knew were not one for pretence nor was she that good an actress. I fell back into the chair that I was currently sitting in and curled up into a ball instinctively. It was barely just three days ago that I had spoken to Roy Kilburn, that he told me that Athrun was safe and healthy, that he was still alive and well, how did it change so fast? I stared stupidly at the television screen that was on a commercial break and wondered how did things get so wrong, was there anything good that still happened in this world? Doubts about the choices that I had made ran amok in my head and I wondered whether it had been better to be by Athrun's side even if it meant always being in the shadows. I was so caught up with my thoughts that I did not even register the fact that somebody was standing on my doorstep and ringing the doorbell, I could not have cared less about who or what was there, all that I could think of was Athrun's face and the fact that I would never be able to see him again, that I did not even got the chance to say goodbye. I curled up tighter into a ball, squeezing my eyes tight, and ignored the increasing amounts of times the doorbell was rung and soon accompanied by the hard banging of someone who was impatient. I dragged myself out from the chair and stumbled across the room to open the door, close to punching the person who was intruding. However, before I could make the first move when the door was finally opened, the person who had been so desperate to come in enveloped me in a bear hug, and when I finally registered who it was I was not able to speak for a full five minutes.

" Cat got your tongue?" The voice that I had been thinking about night and day taunted me gently and hot tears spilled unbidden down my cheeks as I buried my head deep into the shoulders of the man that I love.

" Athrun." I whispered, not knowing what else to say, " How? Why?"

" Cagalli." One simple word that explained everything. I nodded mute, understanding what my twin sister had done for me and Athrun. She had issued a statement of Athrun's presence on the aircraft that exploded and announced him to be MIA – missing in action in order to let us finally be together, there was nothing I could say to thank her, nothing that I could do to repay her for that gesture, nothing at all. I smiled at Athrun, a smile that conveyed everything, and he grinned back.

" How did you know where to find me?" I said as we walked towards the trees hand in hand.

" Where there are sakura trees, there would be hope. Does that explain anything?"

I nodded, happy and glad that he did understand me well enough to be able to find me. I had bought a piece of property that overlooked a valley of sakura trees, it had been a wonder why there were so many trees in that certain place and the locals had told me a story about two lovers who had been separated by the war two decades ago. The one who was left behind had planted the trees in hope that one day her lover would come back to her, his favourite flower being a sakura. To them, they had met under a sakura blossom and had prospered since then, making the sakura flower an emblem of their love and dedication towards each other. For ten years, the loving wife dutifully planted sakura trees and lovingly tended to the growing trees, carrying water over hills from a well ten miles away just to keep the trees well watered and healthy. In the end, the war had ended, but there were no news about her husband, yet she never gave up hope and even on her dying day, she forced herself to walk ten miles to the well and back to water her beloved sakura trees. As she lay exhausted and spent under the trees, she noticed a man walking towards her, she struggled to sit up but was too weak to do so, the man approached her with tears in his eyes and both husband and wife were finally united under those sakura trees. However, that was not the end of the story, the locals who were passing by saw no one in that vicinity except the old woman who laid there alone and that no one could come close to help. All claimed that a soft breeze blew and a patter of soft sakura petals rained down on her, bathing her with soft pink colours as the old woman passed away with a smile on her face. It was known later that her husband had passed away too on the same day just five miles away, he was on his way home after so long away but throughout the years of neglect and war, his health had deteriorated and it was true sheer pure love that had allowed them to meet on that fateful day.

I had fallen in love with that story and had wondered whether it would be the same for Athrun and I. I had bought that piece of property that was on sale almost immediately one year ago and had been living there in my modest house since then.

" Yes, it explains a lot. " I said, smiling and as Athrun bent down, I closed my eyes and allowed him to softly claim my lips with his.

" Kira, I'm sorry, I…I…." Athrun tried when we came up for air, his eyes sincere and earnest, touching my tattoo that was exposed tenderly.

I smiled, shaking my head and whispered softly into his ears, " Shh…it's okay just as long as you love me, everything will be all right, I don't regret the decisions because I know it's all for you and it's worth it. Everything I do, I do it for you."

" Kira….thank you." Athrun said, touched, tears glimmering in his eyes. "I love you, our sweet lie. I love you."

At the same moment, a small breeze blew and a patter of pink sakura leaves showered the both of us, swirling and twirling with the wind, forming a strange dance that captured both our attention. I looked up into the sky and smiled, maybe it was my imagination but I could see the two lovers smiling down at us. I entwined my fingers with Athrun's and we kissed once more amidst the falling petals as two lovers who had reunited once more. There were many things, issues left unsolved, past hurts, old wounds, but that did not matter, all they were memories of the past, and what was most important was that Athrun and I were home. Together. Forever. Finally.


End file.
